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Perhaps one of the most dominant duos in the NBA sadly were forced to split up back in 2004, but could it have been due to the media?
Yahoo Sports Marc Spears discussed with former Laker Devean George the topic of the Shaq and Kobe feud which George seemed very confident that the feud was built up by the media.
Did the media make the @SHAQ vs @kobebryant feud bigger than it was? "Absolutely, 100 percent," @DeveanGeorge @NABJSports panel. @Lakers
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) August 7, 2015
The drama certainly was known, but the two were so dominant from 1999-2002 the two leading the Lakers to a three-peat.
The two strong personalities of Shaq and Kobe though could not co-exist which former Laker Jerry West agreed as well.
The media may have played a role, but Shaq was out to prove a point that the team needed him more than a 21 year old Kobe Bryant who was out to prove that he was the greatest in the NBA and on his way to being one of the best ever.
Two different agendas going on in one locker room clearly divided them even if they pulled together to be victorious for most of their time together.
The 2002-2003 season would be their final together where things like Shaq talking about getting healthy in the regular season, but not mentioning Kobe “I want to be right in the regular season for Derek [Fisher], Karl and Gary.”.
Which the whole season was filled with news stories and rightfully so as they were news-worthy. Then the rest is history as Shaq was traded in the off-season to the Miami Heat after the Lakers lost in the NBA finals to a Detroit Pistons team that a lot of people counted out.
I’ve never seen two teammates under such a large microscope though I will give that to George a very memorable moment in the Lakers first meeting against Shaq on Christmas Day when everyone wondered if the two would even speak to each other as the Miami Heat took on the Lakers.
Devean George can blame the media for the fueling Shaq vs. Kobe, but the two simply could not co-exist two superstar personalities that just did not mesh and for any NBA fan that’s unfortunate.
