Infamous slap revisited as VICE's The Grudge explores Lakers' Kobe vs. Shaq feud

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal are one of the most dominant duos in NBA history. Despite the personal issues that existed between them, they led the Los Angeles Lakers to a remarkable stretch of success, including several feats that no teams since have replicated.

The feud between them remains one of the most polarizing in modern sports history, however, due in no small part to how successful they were despite it.

Bryant and O'Neal rank among the greatest and most decorated players in Association history. They won a combined nine championships, five Finals MVP awards, and nine scoring titles, making a cumulative 29 All-NBA teams during their Hall of Fame careers.

As discussed on VICE Sports' "The Grudge," however, their relationship was volatile enough that a physical confrontation ensued.

It truly defies logic that Bryant and O'Neal were able to overcome everything that happened between them to become one of the winningest duos in NBA history.

VICE Sports' "The Grudge" to explore Kobe vs. Shaq feud

Bryant and O'Neal guided the Lakers to three championships and four NBA Finals appearances. They were the last team to achieve a three-peat in the NBA, with even the Miami Heat era led by Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, and the Golden Sate Warriors with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson failing to emulate the feat.

It's an accoalde that has come to define both players' legacies, acting as ammunition against anything that their critics might say to downplay their greatness.

The reality is, however, that they struggled to coexist during their time on the Lakers. They were two of the most dominant forces the NBA has ever seen, with Bryant entering superstardom at the peak of O'Neal's success—and a power struggle inevitably ensuing.

As discussed on "The Grudge," the issues seemingly stemmed from Bryant's view on how O'Neal approached the game, and the latter's opinion on whose team it really was.

Bryant and O'Neal thankfully buried the hatchet before the former passed away in 2020. That's more important than any other dialogue.

From a pure sports perspective, however, countless have posed the question of how many more titles that duo could've won had they seen eye to eye. Had they been able to get on the same page, it stands to reason that the Lakers could've won at least one more title.

The fact that Phil Jackson managed to get three championships out of them during such turbulent times is perhaps his greatest credit as a head coach. Their rivalry boiled over in 2004, yet he still managed to guide Los Angeles to the NBA Finals that year.

Thankfully, Lakers fans were given a mountain of memories to forever cherish during one of the most successful chapters in franchise history.