Getty Shaquille O'Neal pictured at Kobe Bryant's funeral.
Shaquille O’Neal was one of the notable speakers at Kobe Bryant’s funeral. O’Neal’s speech gave fans one of the most memorable quotes about Bryant of the memorial service.
“Shaq shares a story about telling Kobe ‘there was no I in team.’ Kobe’s response: ‘There’s a ‘Me’ in that m—–f—–,'” O’Neal joked, per Slam Online.
Here is a look at the NSFW quote from O’Neal’s speech.
Shaq on Kobe 😂
This is the full video of O’Neal’s speech at Bryant’s memorial service.
Shaq Delivered an Emotional Message on TNT After Kobe’s Death
O’Neal’s up-and-down relationship with Bryant has been well-documented, but the two appeared to patch things up in recent years. Just days after Bryant’s death, O’Neal was emotional on Inside the NBA as he reflected on the tragedy.
“The fact that we are not going to be able to joke at his Hall of Fame ceremony, the fact that we are not going to be able to say, ‘Ha, I got five. You got four [championships],'” O’Neal noted, per ESPN.com. “The fact that we are not going to be able to say if we would have stayed together, we could have gotten 10 … those are the things you can’t get back. With the loss of my father and my sister … that is the only thing I wish, I could just say something to them again.”
Shaq Concluded His Speech by Calling Kobe “Heaven’s MVP”
O’Neal’s speech may have been rich with humor, but there were also somber parts in what Bryant’s former teammate said at the Staples Center. O’Neal ended the night by calling Bryant “heaven’s MVP.”
“But for now, I take comfort in the fact that as we speak, Kobe and Gigi are holding hands, walking to the nearest basketball court,” O’Neal noted, per Sports Illustrated. “Kobe will show her some new Mamba moves today. And Gigi will soon master them. Kobe, you’re heaven’s MVP. I love you, my man. Till we meet again. Rest in peace, Kobe.”
Shaq Admitted to Having Trouble Sleeping After Kobe’s Death
Bryant’s death has taken a toll on O’Neal who admitted he remains surprised that the Lakers legend died. O’Neal told The New York Times that he is “hurting” after Bryant’s passing.
“People who know me know I’m hurting,” O’Neal told The New York Times. “In a million years, I never thought my younger sister would pass before me. And I never thought any of my teammates would go out before me — especially the way Kobe went out.”
The New York Times’ Marc Stein noted that O’Neal has had trouble sleeping since Bryant’s death.
I chatted with O’Neal on Feb. 13 — a Thursday that tipped off a 96-hour stretch filled with assignments and appearances in Chicago — and asked if working so much and trying to talk about basketball were difficult under the circumstances.
“No,” he said. “Sleeping is.”