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Shaquille O'Neal was named as a Western Conference All-Star reserve on Thursday, meaning he will team up with Kobe Bryant for the first time since his departure out of Los Angeles following the 2003-2004 season. O'Neal will also be reunited with former coach Phil Jackson. In a video interview with Stephen A. Smith from ESPN.com, Shaq said the all-star game "will bring back great memories." Shaq also said that he "always did love [Kobe]," and their feud was "all marketing."

"I know what I'm doing brother," he said, "I'm the smartest player in the world. "Everything that happened, happened for a reason," Shaq continued, "It's all about winning and nothing else matters." Shaq went on to praise Kobe saying "He is probably the MVP this year. That young man is a beast. He's playing excellent ball right now. He's got his team playing well." Shaquille then said that him and Kobe are "still the best little man, big man 1-2 punch ever created in the history of the game. Hopefully we can get a glimpse of what we used to do [in the all-star game]."

And in case you were wondering – when asked by Stephen A. Smith would would it have been like if the trio had stayed together, Shaq said, "We would probably have about six or seven [championships] by now, easily."




- Hmm... nice comments by Mr. O'Neal, the man definitely deserves respect for the numbers he's put up and the professional behavior he showed in this interview. Crazy how those two stopped playing when they were reaching the peak of the duo production. It'd be interesting to see if Shaq's final days would be in a Laker uniform backing up Bynum

wat r ur thoughts on this guys?

Shaq let it go you F#cked things up. Enjoy Phx and being irrelevant.

i find it humorous

especially the smartest player in the world part

Im MARKETING myself...

my thoughts exactly guys. he comes out like he loves Kobe or something. and hermes i agree

i find it humorous

especially the smartest player in the world part

i guess Shaq sees the mistake he made when he left that team behind. I'd say that Shaq trade to MIA is looking very naaice right now! lol everyone thought we'd be rebuidling for years after that 04 heartbreaker to the Pistons but 4 years later we were back in 2nd heartbreaker this time to the C's but i don't care i mean i was happy we went that deep in the playoffs although like everyone else i was disappoint in my Lakers BUT this year looks MIGHTY bright with Bynum showing off his sweet Jabbar-influenced game! very naaice!

i love that interview where Bynum said that he likes going up against Shaq, that for him it's fun, he totally dominated the Diesel the last time they met

funny some laker fans are still bitter...let it go

the man helped us get 3 rings

It's all entertainment.... I'm vaguely entertained.

I do wonder now if they'll make any special effort to set each other up, though.

Danny Darko wrote:It's all entertainment.... I'm vaguely entertained.

I do wonder now if they'll make any special effort to set each other up, though.

hmm... good point, i wonder if Kobe will set-up Shaq with a nice alley-oop so Shaq gets a glimpse of what he lost, Bynum's already got our dunking the middle taken care of

Shaq angling to get himself back in a Laker uniform....................book it and stay tuned.

I wish. I would take Shaq in a heartbeat.

this is so ex-girlfriend like
but you know Shaq will get his Jersey retired here somehow
that's why he is being so nice
you think he really wants to go to a ceremony in Orlando?

RASMARX wrote:this is so ex-girlfriend like
but you know Shaq will get his Jersey retired here somehow
that's why he is being so nice
you think he really wants to go to a ceremony in Orlando?

Yeah our ex girlfriend has aged and put on some weight while we go out with the latest greatest recently unsuspended model.

I wonder if it would help or hurt Drew's long term growth?

Unfortunately, Shaq wrote his own ticket out of town with his lack of motivation and for his role in the unseemly fued between he and Kobe.

If he'd been younger, then see ya, Kobe. But he was looking pretty worn out at that point, and as much as I liked/appreciated Shaq -- and still do -- he was the one who had to go.

Frankly, I get sick of hearing this pop up every six months or so. It's over, and it has been for a long, long time.

DEEP3CL wrote:Shaq angling to get himself back in a Laker uniform....................book it and stay tuned.

I would agree with you 110%..............I've been thinking same thing lately. This just adds to it.
When his contract is up in 2010, it wouldn't suprise me if he came back here to the Lakers and backed up Bynum (like Miggs said) and tries to win 2 more rings. I think he did say he'd like to play 2 more years after his current deal is up.

Shaq should NEVER be back in a laker uniform and his number will NEVER hang in rafters in staples. He burned too many bridges and no matter how much he begs or positions himself to come back to Lakers, we are better without him.

Nothing he's done or said since can negate the fact that he was the cornerstone to three championship teams. I couldn't even put a price on some of the memories he was in large part responsible for. As such, I think it'll be a crime if his number isn't retired.

LOL.. some of yall are trippin... We should be thanking Shaq for our past (3 chips) and our future (Gasol/Odom/Farmar and Bynum depending how technical you wanna get)

Everything happens for a reason, and I think everything end up working out for the best for both parties.... I dont think Shaq/Kobe would have won any more titles (maybe 06) but now we have a window to win 2 or 3 more

DEEP3CL wrote:Shaq angling to get himself back in a Laker uniform....................book it and stay tuned.

YUP....... SAY IT AGAINNNNNNNNNNNN DEEP SAY IT AGAIN.

Sedale Threatt wrote:Nothing he's done or said since can negate the fact that he was the cornerstone to three championship teams. I couldn't even put a price on some of the memories he was in large part responsible for. As such, I think it'll be a crime if his number isn't retired.

I agree, and its seems that's the way this is headed.
But Im not going to lie, I would love to see him wearing the P&G Jersey again, and we win a couple before he retires.
I think if he does return he will try to prove the whole world wrong, and we will probably see a Shaq that will be a beast YET AGAIN.

like what he does. ."im the smartest player...." everything happens for a reason.

Seriously, if the supposed fued between didn't happen.. guys like us wouldn't have anything to talk about... it's guys' soap opera. I love it lol.

can't wait for the trio to converge