2 days ago
Former NBA player recalls a fight between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
Former NBA player recalls a fight between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant made up one of the greatest and most successful superstar duos in NBA history. In eight seasons together, they led the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight NBA championships and resurrected their mystique after a rough rebuilding process during the 1990s.
They represented a blend of O'Neal's brute force and power and Bryant's creativity, athleticism, sublime scoring skills and incredible clutch ability. Perhaps no other duo in basketball history was as talented as this one.
But of course, the two butted heads at times. Olden Polynice, a former NBA big man, was present when the Hall of Famers actually went at it during a practice session, and he recalled what happened during an episode of former Lakers star Byron Scott's "Fast Break" podcast.
'So, we're at Southwest College, right, playing,' Polynice said. 'I'm trying to get — I'm a Laker fan. I wanna be on the Lakers. I gotta be around the Lakers. So, I'm working — we working out. I'm guarding Shaq, blah, blah, blah. Basket, 'Yeah, this is my team, [expletive].' Basket down there, 'Yeah, naw, naw, this is my team.'
'It's going back and forth between the two of 'em. Okay, no problem. I mean, that's us. We're ballers. Mitch Kupchak's sitting over there chilling with Laker brass, and all of a sudden, there's a dead ball.
'They just going back and forth, but I'm thinking it's still part of the crap that we do. 'Nah, [expletive], I'll kick your [expletive].' I'm like, 'Oh [expletive], okay. Are they about to fight?''
In Jeff Pearlman's book "Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty," a fight between O'Neal and Bryant from just prior to the 1999 season was recounted. It appears that was the fight Polynice was referring to.
During his podcast appearance, Polynice said that O'Neal attempted to throw a punch at Bryant, but he grabbed Bryant and prevented the punch from landing. O'Neal then chased the guard, and Polynice grabbed the big man to try to diffuse the situation.
In retrospect, given the problems the two superstars had at times, and given that both were alpha males who were perhaps better suited to leading their own individual teams, it's amazing that their partnership lasted as long as it did and was as fruitful as it was.
Lakers fans will never forget the sweet memories the two provided during those turbulent but exciting days back in the early days of the 21st century.
