Shaq: Kobe and I are the most 'dominant 1-2 punch ever created'
The history between former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant is well documented, with the two legends constantly looking to cement their status as the alpha dog on a team that went on to win three-straight NBA championships (2000-2002).
Egos aside, what The Big Aristotle and Black Mamba accomplished together was truly something special, and in a post-basketball world, the two have clearly buried the hatchet and left the past in the past.
"We will go down in history as the most enigmatic, controversial, dominant one-two punch ever created," O'Neal said following his statue unveiling at Staples Center Friday evening, according to ESPN's Jovan Buha.
Bryant was in attendance Friday to say a few words about Shaq, calling him "the most dominant player I've ever seen."
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O'Neal then returned the favor later on, thanking Bryant for being by his side en route to hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy on three occasions. He even suggested that the next time the Lakers have a statue made in someone's honor, it will, in all likelihood, be for Bryant.
After Los Angeles fell in the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons in 2003-04, O'Neal promptly demanded a trade due to not receiving a pay raise, as well as his belief that the Lakers were favoring appeasing Bryant over him. He was eventually sent to the Miami Heat, where he'd go on to win his fourth and final title in 2005-06.
Bryant, meanwhile, needed to wait a while longer before capturing a title sans O'Neal, doing so two years in a row in 2009 and 2010.