Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant remain one of the most dominant duos in NBA history. Together, they delivered three consecutive championships to the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2002. Their on-court dominance was undeniable, but their relationship was also marked by friction, leading to O’Neal’s eventual departure from the franchise in 2004.

In recent days, Bryant’s name returned to the spotlight after comments from former NBA star Tracy McGrady sparked fresh debate. McGrady suggested he could have won a championship had he been paired with O’Neal instead of Bryant. The comments were widely criticized, with many fans accusing McGrady of minimizing Bryant’s legacy. The pushback was immediate, with some pointing out that Kobe ultimately won two titles without Shaq, further reinforcing his individual greatness.

O’Neal finally weighed in on the discussion during an appearance on Off the Record, adding his own twist to the conversation.

“Our guy (Kobe) had room to operate because I got 3 people on me,” O’Neal said. “Probably get a lot of flak, but I always said myself, I think I could’ve got three in a row with T-Mac. I think I could’ve got two with Vince, oh I know I get six with Steph.”

The remarks quickly sparked backlash among Lakers fans, many of whom felt O’Neal was downplaying Bryant’s contributions.

“Shaq should be thanking Kobe for those rings,” one user posted.

Another added, “Kobe won two without him — what’s he talking about?”

“This dude over the years has really done his absolute best for the fanbase to dislike him,” another fan remarked.