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Kobe Bryant: 50 Greatest Moments of Black Mamba’s Career

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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4. Completing the Three-Peat

If only one phrase can define the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal pairing, it’s, “What if?” What if Bryant and O’Neal had gotten along well enough to maintain their working relationship as the Lakers’ 1-2 punch?

Even on bad terms, the duo led the Los Angeles Lakers to three consecutive championships.

The run to the 2002 title was massive for Bryant’s career. After O’Neal shouldered the load in 2000 and was still the dominant No. 1 player in 2001, The Black Mamba stepped up in 2002.

O’Neal was still the go-to scorer and clear No. 1, but Bryant steadily emerged as an equal.

Bryant outscored O’Neal during the first round and Western Conference Semifinals. The tide turned over the course of the next two rounds, but the message was loud and clear: Bryant was on the cusp of escaping his teammate’s shadow.

What resulted was Los Angeles doing the unthinkable and winning a third consecutive NBA championship.

Next: Escaping the Shadow

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