Considering Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s status as one of the greatest offensive duos in NBA history and the fact that their collaboration resulted in the Lakers winning three consecutive NBA Championships, one might assume their relationship was cordial.
However, this wasn’t the case when Shaq decided to end the partnership with Kobe, opting to bring his offensive prowess to the East Coast with the Miami Heat. On December 25, 2004, the superstar made his infamous return to Los Angeles in a Christmas Day matchup that had fans and enthusiasts gripping their seats.
Viewership soars in Shaq-Kobe rivalry
Lakers vs. Miami Heat. Kobe Bryant vs Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq’s return to the Staples Center. The storylines for this one game skyrocketed viewership numbers tremendously as fans lost their patience waiting for the clash between the two superstars. Millions of fans around the world and in the USA huddled together, forgetting all the festivities and dropping all their plans. This was their Christmas miracle. This was a Christmas gift for people from the basketball world.
The Heat-Lakers game set a new ratings mark at the time and it was the highest-rated regular-season basketball game on television in nearly seven years. US broadcaster ABC announced publicly that the game was the highest-rated basketball game since February 1998 and that the game was the highest-rated Christmas Day fixture since at least 1996.
In one of the most hyped games of all time, the Miami Heat got the better of the Los Angeles Lakers, beating them towards the final seconds of the game with the scoreline at the end reading 104-102. In terms of the rivalry, Kobe had the better night, dropping 42 points, while Shaq took the win with 24 points from his side.
The chaotic association between the two athletes spiked viewership numbers remarkably, making it one of the most watched Christmas Day games of all time, with the all-time views standing at a mammoth 13.18 million viewers.
The peak audience was also a result of Shaquille O’Neal’s constant public vilification before their Christmas Day fixture at the Staples Center. Shaq did not hold back one bit as he hinted that he would crush the Lakers superstar using an analogy of what would happen to a Corvette (Kobe) that ran into a brick wall (Shaq). Broadcasting networks did not hesitate one moment and used this exclusive opportunity to market the feud and fixture nationwide, which resulted in record-setting viewership numbers.
Why did Shaquille O’Neal leave the Lakers?
Shaquille O’Neal’s departure from the Lakers was more or less the result of an egoistical power struggle between Shaq and Kobe Bryant. It was the final act of the internal feud, where the pair attempted to smear each other’s names in a public setting.
The clash between the pair ultimately began in the 2000–01 season when Shaq, a physically intimidating player, reported to camp out of camp, which Kobe strongly disagreed with. While Kobe requested a change in team rotation, Shaq fiercely emphasized that the Lakers continue their playstyle of running their plays through the dominant center. The duo, however, managed to settle their feud, keep the bridge over the water and win the last of their three championships together.
In the following season, Shaq’s poor physical fitness continued to haunt the Lakers, which meant the responsibility of carrying the Lakers to victory fell to Kobe Bryant, a responsibility he was more than happy to take on. Despite that, the Lakers were unable to continue their glorious streak of winning titles in succession.
As Kobe had a turbulent time dealing with rape accusations and other legal formalities off the court, Shaq’s absence as a support system completely hindered the pair’s friendship, as Kobe stated that Shaq was supposed to be his friend amidst his personal troubles.
The tempestuous relationship between the pair effectively started affecting the morale and performances of the team on the court as the two individuals had their own vested intentions for their respective futures. Eventually, the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals, marking two consecutive finals losses.
Keeping the greater good of the Lakers in mind, front office executive Mitch Kupchak suggested that the Lakers trade Shaquille O’Neal, which essentially prompted Shaq to demand a trade as a sign of self-respect. Eventually, the long-standing and one of the greatest duos of all time were broken as Shaquille O’Neal was traded away to the Miami Heat.
What do you think of the feud between Shaq and Kobe? Did the Lakers make the right move by breaking the duo? Was Shaq right in demanding a trade from the Lakers? We would love to hear your opinions and thoughts, so write to us in the comments below.
