Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant make up the best duo in NBA history, and few star duos are as dominant as they are. But the relationship between the two superstars hasn't always been so harmonious, and the discord between the two has led to O'Neal leaving the Lakers.
Although the two had reconciled before Bryant's unfortunate death, there was some competition between the two for the rest of their careers. When Shaq won his fourth championship with the Miami Heat, it prompted Bryant to continue to win more titles for himself, eventually winning his fifth individual title in 2010.
After Kobe Bryant won his fifth title, O'Neal felt a certain crisis. He knew he had to catch up with his former teammates as quickly as possible, which led to his decision to join the Boston Celtics at the start of the 2010-11 season.
In an interview with GQ Sports, O'Neill acknowledged this.
"From the moment I joined the league, I was keen to catch up with russell's championship numbers, but in fact I couldn't do that goal anymore, so I was happy to take half of it. When I signed with Boston, I wanted to get my 5th championship ring to tie Kobe... But then I didn't catch up with him. ”
O'Neal played just 37 games for the Greens, missing the first round of the playoffs. In the second round, the Celtics eventually lost to the Heat, which owns the Big Three. After the end of the season, O'Neal announced his retirement.