Well, this was unexpected. Free agent center Shaquille O’Neal, formerly of the Magic, Lakers, Heat, Suns, and Cavaliers, recently sat down for an interview with Fox Sports Radio. During the interview, he had some extremely kind words for Kobe Bryant, with whom Shaq famously feuded both during and after O’Neal’s time with the Lakers:
“First, of all, [Kobe] is definitely a closer. Right now, he’s thought of as the greatest player in the Lakers history, surpassing Magic Johnson and Jerry West, especially if he wins this championship, he will probably go down as the greatest Laker ever...
The guys who are making [the comments that Bryant needs a MJ-like championship-winning shot to cement his legacy] and comparisons are obviously the guys who cannot play. The kid has 26,000 points, he passed Jerry West already. He’s on his way to winning his fifth title. He doesn’t need a signature closing move. It’s all about winning the championships, and like I said, if he wins this championship, he will go down as the greatest Laker ever.”