Shaq Narrates Tribute To Kobe Ahead Of Lakers Statue Unveiling

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Kobe Bryant (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers holds th
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the Larry O'Brian trophy as teammate Shaquille O'Neal (L) hold the MVP trophy after winning the NBA Championship against Indiana Pacers 19 June, 2000, after game six of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers won the game 116-111 to take the NBA title 4-2 in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read AFP/AFP via Getty Images)

The big man called Bryant "the best teammate I ever had."

TNT has released a tribute to Kobe narrated by his former teammate Shaq. The brief lead-in to a day of remembrance and celebration for the Hall of Famer sees Shaq lead the viewer from Kobe's storied career. However, the line that will stand out to most is that Shaq calls Kobe the "best teammate I ever had". While the pair found massive success together in Los Angeles, their relationship was often strained. In the end, the culture clash between the two men would lead to Shaq getting traded away from the Lakers.

Elsewhere, the Lakers have announced that they will wear their "Black Mamba" uniform variant for their February 8 game against Denver as part of a special night honoring the late Kobe Bryant. The team is due to unveil a statue of the career Laker outside Crypto.com Arena before they face the reigning NBA champions. That game will then be played with the team wearing the special uniforms that Bryant himself designed. It will be the first time that the team has worn the uniform variant since doing so during the 2020 season following Kobe's death.

Read More: Uniform From Kobe Bryant's Last Road Game Goes Up For Auction

Footage Of Kobe Bryant Taking Brandy To His Prom Emerges On Twitter

Meanwhile, An X account that shares archival footage recently shared a video of a news report about Kobe Bryant taking Brandy to his high school prom. The event happened in 1996, just months before Bryant would be drafted into the NBA. However, at the time, many of his classmates weren't overly thrilled with the amount of attention Kobe was receiving. "It's not Kobe Bryant's prom, it's Lower Merion's prom," one attendee noted. "Yes, this is Kobe Bryant's prom. But it's also everyone's prom. This is not the Kobe Bryant prom. It's the prom of the class of 1996," added another.

Kobe, who was dating Brandy at the time, would arrive three hours after the prom began and was flanked by security. Despite this, a reporter was still able to ask Brandy how she felt about Kobe. As a result, the singer called the future NBA Hall of Famer "very cute". However, the pair would quickly break up. Brandy would go on to date her "first love", Boyz II Men lead singer Wayne Morris.

Read More: Dr. Umar Goes After Vanessa Bryant For How She Is Spending Kobe Bryant's Money

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.