"He's like a real, real superstar, a real team player" - Shaquille O'Neal's shot at Kobe Bryant when asked if Dwyane Wade could score 62 points in three quarters

After four NBA Finals appearances and three straight titles, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves at a monumental crossroads. Tensions between the team's primary stars, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, escalated by the day, forcing the franchise to make a definitive choice about its future direction. Considering the Black Mamba was just entering his prime while many felt the Big Diesel was in physical decline, the decision fell on Bryant, dissolving one of the most dominant duos in league history. It was a feud that many Lakers fans have never gotten over to this day, as that core realistically had a few more good seasons left, but ego stood in the way. Bryant, however, didn't wait a second to show the whole world that the Purple & Gold franchise made no mistake, ruthlessly shredding opposing defenses while shattering records along the way. Bryant's historic feat failed to move O'Neal Although his most famous performance remains the one against the Toronto Raptors, in which Kobe recorded what was then the second-highest single-game scoring total in history with 81 points, his December 2005 performance was potentially even more impressive. Just a month before those 81 points, Kobe pulled off the impossible against the Dallas Mavericks. He scored 62 points in three quarters while the Mavericks as a whole managed only 61 points on the scoreboard during that time, after which he sat out the rest of the game. It remains one of the most impressive individual performances by a basketball player in league history. Still, it was a feat that didn't particularly impress O'Neal when he was asked if his Miami Heat teammate, Dwyane Wade, had a similar explosion in his repertoire. The big man used the opportunity to take a swipe at his former co-star. 'He's not really that type of person, who cares about that type of stuff,' O'Neal said of Wade. 'He's like a real, real superstar, a real team player.' To recall, that was only Flash's third professional season, during which he and Shaq eventually went all the way. Wade averaged 27.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.9 steals on 49.5 percent shooting from the field that season, displaying his full range of talent on both ends of the floor. Across his 20-year career, Bryant never posted a higher single-season assist average or field goal percentage than Wade did during that 2005-06 campaign. Dwyane quickly earned recognition as Kobe's biggest rival for the title of best two-guard in the league, especially after that timeless performance against those very Mavericks in the Finals, where he averaged 34.7 points. Shaq recognized D-Wade's raw potential early on and didn't hesitate to praise him while aiming a subtle jab at KB, further fanning the flames of their public feud. Related: Glen Davis exposes other former NBA players he says stole from the health care fund but avoided charges: 'People you see on different podcasts' Kobe and Shaq eventually managed to put their differences aside While Wade never reached the same heights as Bryant, though it must be said he came very close. However, the true difference in their mindsets was best illustrated when Dwyane stepped back at the peak of his career so LeBron James could take over the Heat's leadership role. Even though Miami was firmly Wade's house, he lacked the ego that required high-volume scoring nights to feel validated. On the flip side, it can be argued that Bryant's tireless approach is precisely what separated him from the competition. Years later, the iconic duo finally sat down on camera to put their differences aside, leaving basketball fans with one lingering question: had both stars shown just a bit more maturity during their prime, how many more Larry O'Brien trophies would stand next to their names? Related: 'I had to sacrifice' – Shaquille O'Neal recalls checking his ego when he arrived at the Miami Heat Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved This story was originally published September 7, 2026 at 1:56 PM.