Kobe Bryant had no room for former teammate Shaquille O’Neal in his all-time starting five.
On what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday, fans are remembering the all-time great player and his contributions to the sport.
Few expected him to become a star when he first entered the league, as 12 other players were picked ahead of Bryant in the 1996 NBA Draft.
Even members of the LA Lakers questioned Bryant’s draft day trade. But he would end up proving everyone wrong, becoming one of the greatest players ever.
But which players did Kobe Bryant consider to be the best ever, good enough to make his all-time starting five?
Photo by Harry How/Getty ImagesKobe Bryant snubs Shaquille O’Neal for Wilt Chamberlain in all-time starting five
Kobe Bryant did an interview with ESPN in 2009. When the reporter asked him which players he would consider adding to his all-time starting five, Bryant rattled off a list of legendary names.
Kobe picked fellow LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson as his point guard, Michael Jordan as his shooting guard, Larry Bird at small forward, Bill Russell at power forward, and Wilt Chamberlain at the center spot.
“All-time? Magic at the point. MJ at the two. Larry Bird at the three. Bill Russell and the four. Wow, this is tough—Wilt at the five.
“I’m nowhere near that squad. You still got Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Walt Frazier, and Bob Pettis. The list goes on and on…”
Interestingly, Bryant didn’t name his former LA Lakers teammate, Shaquille O’Neal, who many consider one of the greatest centers of all time.
Kobe – Shaq rivalry cost LA Lakers a dynasty
The rivalry between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal really derailed the dominance of the LA Lakers at the start of the decade.
In fact, the LA Lakers could have won 10 championships with Bryant and Shaq. But the pair’s issues came between them.
After O’Neal’s departure, Kobe became the Lakers’ leader. While it took him some time, Bryant proved he was fit for the role, leading the team to two NBA championships in 2008 and 2009.
Still, one has to wonder just how successful the Lakers could have been had Kobe and O’Neal not had their issues.