Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal discuss their first fight in throwback video: Watch

NBA TV is hosting a special Kobe Bryant marathon to honour the late Lakers legend, who lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash in Januray. One of the programs on the list is the NBA on TNT's Players Only which featured Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Throughout the episode, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal throw light on their rivalry and recount their first physical fight. 

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Kobe Shaq rivalry: Kobe Bryant fight with Shaquille O'Neal for the first time

Kobe Shaq rivalry: Why did Kobe and Shaq separate?

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were one of the best NBA duos. However, their partnership was cut short due to Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's long feud. In the end, Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Miami Heat in 2004 while Bryant spent his entire career with the Lakers. NBA on TNT's Player Only shed some light on their separation, which had already started with their egos clashing. In 2004, the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons, which made Kobe Byrant's and Shaquille O'Neal's problems evident. In the episode, Kobe Bryant recalled that O'Neal called him a 'little b***h. Bryant had responded by saying that there's going to be no 'little b***h'. O'Neal had provoked Bryant further, asking him what he could do about the whole situation. 

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After their fight, things got worse between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, as they got in a public spat over O'Neal's toe injury. Bryant also believed that their reign would have been affected due to O'Neal's health. Though their entire feud was a cause for the separation, Kobe Bryant did not want people to think he won only because of O'Neal. After a few years, Bryant and O'Neal apologized and made up. O'Neal even admitted to thinking of Bryant as his brother. 

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Shaquille O'Neal breaks down while talking about Kobe Bryant

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