Photo Credit: Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times

Shaquille O’Neal Reveals How He Dealt With Angry Kobe Bryant : “You Don’t Mess With Mad Geniuses”

After a four-year tenure with the Orlando Magic, Shaquille O’Neal decided to take his talents to the Los Angeles Lakers. With his arrival, Shaq would form a renowned and deadly pairing with Kobe Bryant, who was taken by the Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft.

The two players went on to win three straight titles from 2000 to 2002 and ultimately etched their pairing in the history books as one of the greatest duos to ever play the game. But while their pairing will be remembered as one of the greatest of all-time, it will also be remembered as one of the most controversial storylines in NBA history. 

It’s no secret that Shaq and Kobe shared a beef during their time with the Lakers, and despite seeing a huge amount of success, their pairing was eventually cut short after the Lakers sent Shaq to the Miami Heat in 2004, leading a ton of fans to speculate whether Kobe was the real cause of the breakup. 

Shaq and Kobe would eventually become friends, once they had retired and there was no bad blood between then when Kobe Bryant tragically passed away two years ago.

O’Neal now revealed some interesting details about Kobe’s mentality and shared how he would approach Kobe when he was mad, while describing him as a genius.

“He’s a mad genius. You don’t mess with mad geniuses, you just let them do what they do. When they calm down, they calm down. I learned that from dealing with Kobe.”