Shaquille O'Neal Says Kobe Bryant Belongs In The GOAT Conversation

As Bryant's teammate for eight years on the Lakers, Shaq knows him more than most and they developed a special bond during their legendary championship three-peat. To this day, even after Bryant's passing, Shaq remains one of his fiercest defenders and he has always maintained Kobe's place in the GOAT debate.

While there is no question that the Lakers legend deserves to be ranked among the greatest players of all time, where exactly he falls in relation to other all-time greats is still highly debated in the community today.

The sad truth is that it's rare for Kobe Bryant to rank among the top five on most people's all-time list, much less within the top three and on par with LeBron and Michael Jordan himself. Most Jordan fans would point to his six championships as proof that he deserves to be raked higher than Kobe while LeBron's fans will always have his title as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Bryant, for as great as he was, was only able to win two championships without Shaquille O'Neal and many feel that he left some more on the table during his time with the Lakers. Unlike other all-time legends, Bryant only has one MVP to his name.

Kobe Bryant Was The Reincarnation Of Michael Jordan

While Bryant's place among the basketball GOATs is unlikely to ever reach a consensus, most can agree that he's the closest a player has ever come to emulating His Airness. Bryant, who came out of High School, began the NBA as a teenager and faced massive pressure to perform.

After a lukewarm rookie season, Kobe Bryant blossomed into a world-class leader and star for the Lakers. Despite the presence of Shaquille O'Neal and his alpha-dog mentality, Kobe did not let himself settle into a sidekick role on the Lakers and he constantly challenged Shaq to be the best version of himself on the court and in the locker room. 

As a self-proclaimed Michael Jordan fan growing up, Kobe used Jordan's moves in his own game and incorporated his shots into his offensive arsenal. Perhaps most glaring of all, Kobe carried Jordan's same killer mentality and it's what drove him to be a stone-cold assassin for the Lakers over 20 long years.

In the wake of his passing, some and are starting to forget just who Kobe was and how special his game was on the basketball court. But thanks to guys like Shaq and other basketball legends, Kobe's legacy continues to be told and his story continues to inspire countless athletes to live out their own dreams and work for greatness, no matter the cost.