Lake Show Life
Fansided

Los Angeles Lakers: Building the all-time Kobe Bryant teammate team

By Jason Reed

Shaquille O'Neal (L) and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the 1st quarter of game two of the NBA Finals against the New Jersey Nets 07 June 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. AFP PHOTO/Lucy NICHOLSON (Photo by LUCY NICHOLSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Shaquille O'Neal (L) and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the 1st quarter of game two of the NBA Finals against the New Jersey Nets 07 June 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. AFP PHOTO/Lucy NICHOLSON (Photo by LUCY NICHOLSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
(Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Kobe Bryant’s best center teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille O’Neal (1999-00)

Kobe Bryant would not have championships number four and five without Pau Gasol and he would not have had the first three without Shaquille O’Neal. Every superstar has at least one great running mate and the duo of a young Kobe Bryant and a prime Shaquille O’Neal is one of the best duos in league history.

More from Lake Show Life

Shaq is one of the most dominant big men in the history of the league. In an era where there was better competition and Shaq did not benefit from the same rules as the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, Shaq absolutely demolished defenses and was an unstoppable force.

If Shaq would have played in Wilt Chamberlain’s time he would have averaged 60 points per game. He is one of the most physically dominant and menacing players we have seen in the history of the league.

His best seasons came with the Lakers, with the best solo season being his MVP-winning performance in the 1999-00 season. Shaq averaged a career and league-high 29.7 points that season to go along with 13.6 rebounds (second-highest of his career) and three blocks per game.

Shaq is one of just nine players to average 29 points and 13 rebounds in a single season. He was the most recent to accomplish the feat as well, before Giannis Antetokounmpo this season, that is.

Thus, our all-time Kobe Bryant teammate team has a starting five of Derek Fisher, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, Pau Gasol and Shaquille O’Neal. Notable bench players include Nick Van Exel, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum, to name a few.

Next. All-time born in California team. dark

That is a starting five and bench that would absolutely win 55+ games in an NBA season today.

Home/Lakers News