NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal breaks down in tears when discussing death of ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O’Neal broke down in his tears as he continued to mourn the death of his close friend Kobe Bryant.
The legendary NBA star revealed he was working out in his basement on Sunday when one of his nephews showed him the news that Bryant had been killed in a helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
O’Neal, like Bryant, is considered one of the greatest basketball players in history, and the ex-Lakers star said the loss of his mate hurt more as he had just got through the passing of his sister Ayesha to cancer in October.
“I haven’t felt the pain that sharp in a while,” the 47-year-old said as part of TNT’s tribute to his former Lakers running mate.
“And I snapped [at my nephew].
"We live in a world where anything can be Photoshopped, hoaxed. Everybody called me and we found out it was confirmed.”
“Now I lost a little brother,” he said.
And he continued to say that finding out Bryant's daughter, Gianna, was on board the doomed helicopter was the 'final blow'.
Bryant and O'Neal were instrumental as the LA Lakers won three consecutive championships from 2000-02, but a feud between the pair led to the latter being moved to Miami in 2004.
Shaq went on to win a title with the Heat two years later alongside Wade, while Bryant won championships in 2009 and 2010.
During his podcast on Monday, O’Neal said he hadn’t eaten or slept since the accident.
“I’m sick right now,” he said. “And I know some idiot’s gonna bring up the relationship me and Kobe had. Our relationship was that of brothers. We’re brothers on this podcast, John, we argue all the time. But in real life, when I see you and your lovely wife, it’s all about respect.”