A few months ago Kobe took a shot about Shaq’s work ethic (Kobe Bryant on Shaq: “I Can’t Tolerate Players Who Practice For Just 30 Minutes”).
I am surprised that it took this long for Shaq to response. Maybe he was too busy hoping more of his emails weren’t being released.
Here is what he had to say.
Shaquille O’Neal’s time with the Lakers is far enough in the past that he’s not going to call Kobe Bryant names. But Shaq is not sufficiently removed from his storied 19-year NBA career where he can give an honest self-evaluation.
Even if O’Neal and Bryant formally ended their feud in 2006, Bryant didn’t mince words during a Nike promotional stop in Italy when he acknowledged that Shaq’s 30-minute workouts still annoyed him, considering that Bryant would put in six to seven hours a day in the gym. Shaq would have none of it.
“I don’t need to work out,” O’Neal said when the New York Times’ Joe Brescia asked him about Bryant’s comments. “My numbers speak for itself. My three finals MVP’s speaks for itself.”
Shaq didn’t say Kobe was lying, but basically said he didn’t have to work out because he was just that good. Sort of a slap in the face of all the players who weren’t as talented as Shaq who had to work their butts of to be the best players they can be.
If Shaq had applied himself maybe he would have become the best player ever as oppose to just one of the best players ever.