Kobe Bryant's Family Had This Request For Shaq Documentary

The director of the documentary wanted to be respectful to Kobe and his family.

BYAlexander Cole
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Kobe Bryant and Shaq have a very interesting history. The two went through plenty of ups and downs, especially toward the end of their time together in Los Angeles. Ultimately, they will be remembered for winning a whopping three titles in a row during the early 2000s.

Shaq Documentary

Tomorrow, HBO will begin releasing its four-part docuseries on the life and career of Shaquille O'Neal. Fans are very excited to watch this new documentary, and it is assumed that Kobe will be making some appearances throughout. However, Kobe has passed away, which makes it a bit more difficult to provide coverage.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal shake hands at halftime after both of Bryant's #8 and #24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys are retired at Staples Center on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Recently, the director of the documentary, Robert Alexander, sat down with Rich Eisen to speak about making the new project. Additionally, he touched on the Kobe parts of the documentary. As he explained, Kobe's family wanted to reduce the amount of Kobe Bryant-related scenes. Eventually, Alexander and Shaq obliged out of respect.

Kobe Bryant & Shaq

"But to be transparent, we also got to a point where we had a certain amount of their story in the film," Alexander said. "Kobe's family essentially requested that we reduce the amount of Kobe we have in the film.

"I'm not totally sure, but out of respect for their wishes we did it, we went ahead and we complied... So I'm very proud of what we ended up with, as far as the amount of Kobe content that we have, that relates to Shaq's story, but at the end of the day it's a Shaq film."

It makes sense that his family would make a request like this given everything that has gone on. Kobe is no longer around to explain himself, and it's better for all sides if the documentary remains focused on Shaq.

Let us know what you expect from this documentary, in the comments below.

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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.