Shaquille O'Neal on Kobe Bryant: 'I wanted him to be Alfred but he didn't want it, he was like 'nope, I'm Batman'

Shaquille O’Neal on his relationship with Kobe Bryant: Once we develop that understanding… Unstoppable. JJ Redick: It goes back to I think the the realization that you weren’t HIM anymore, learning to seed control at times in that relationship, did that make it easier when you got to Miami with D-Wade? Shaquille O’Neal: It was one word that kept us together, it’s respect. For example you’ve been talking sh*t to me at my house the whole time… You’ve been talking crazy to me in my house all the time but guess what, we respect each other so it’ll never go overboard. I said some things you cut me off I say some things I cut you off but the respect is there so it can never go overboard. We used to f*cking go at it but the respect is there and I tell people all the time. Do you think we didn’t get along? Go back right now to the first championship after we beat Indiana. It’s a thousand motherf*ckers on the floor. Who’s the first person he f*cking runs to? I didn’t run to him. Who’s the first person he ran to? The respect is always going to be there. -via YouTube / May 3, 2024

Michael Jordan prevails over LeBron James as the NBA’s greatest player of all time in our HoopsHype poll, but it’s not a landslide win. In our poll, the split is 49-37 in favor of Jordan over James. Conversely, The Athletic’s poll had 45.9 percent for Jordan and 42.1 percent for James. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant also received a decent share of the vote with nine percent. Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony each received one vote. -via HoopsHype / April 29, 2024

Jorge Sierra: James Harden passed Kobe Bryant in playoff assists yesterday after moving ahead of Michael Jordan earlier in the series. He’s only seven away from Scottie Pippen (No. 10 all-time). -via Twitter @hoopshype / April 29, 2024