The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2002 NBA championship, completing a rare three-peat led by NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. No team has won three straight NBA championships since the Lakers did it over two decades ago.
For former Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby, the Lakers only got to their third straight title because they robbed the Kings of a massive upset in the 2002 Western Conference Finals.
Talking on the Night Cap show, Bibby expressed regret upon seeing the series unfold. He felt that his Kings should have won the highly controversial series against the Lakers and won that season’s NBA championship.
“A little robbed? Yeah, I think it was rigged,” Bibby said. “Did you see what happened? It could have completely changed my career. I was on the rise at that point. Imagine if we’d gone to the Finals and I’d been named Finals MVP? My resume would look totally different today.”
Bibby did not forget to say nice things about those experiences with the Lakers, O’Neal, and Bryant in the playoffs.
“And yet, just being part of those battles was incredible. For me, Shaq is the best big man in history and Kobe is in my top two,” he said. “Going to Los Angeles, seeing all those movie stars, all those people you’d watched in films coming to cheer against you… all while knowing we’d beaten them, it was something else. I couldn’t have asked for better.”
« Un peu volés ? Oui, je pense que c’était truqué. Vous avez vu ce qui s’est passé ? Ça aurait pu complètement changer ma carrière. J’étais en pleine progression à ce moment-là. Imaginez qu’on
Lakers-Kings 2002 NBA Playoff Story
GettyKobe Bryant (C) of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a shot as teammate Shaquille O’Neal (34) and Sacramento Kings Vlade Divac (21) and Corliss Williamson (R) look on during game two of the NBA first round play-offs in Los Angeles 27 April, 2000. (Photo by MIKE NELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
In the 2002 West Finals, the Kings lost a heartbreaking 4-3 series to the defending champion Lakers. After taking a 3–2 lead, the Kings lost a controversial Game 6 and subsequently fell in Game 7 in overtime
Game 6 remains one of the most debated contests in sports history. The Lakers shot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter alone—significantly more than the Kings—leading to accusations of biased refereeing meant to extend the series and give the Lakers a chance to win.
In Game 7, the Kings struggled down the stretch, ultimately losing 112-106 in overtime.
The Lakers advanced to sweep the Nets in the NBA Finals, while the 2002 series remains a legendary “what-if” for Sacramento fans.
The Kings franchise never reached the heights it got when it faced the Lakers that season.
The Kings last won a playoff series in 2004, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the Western Conference opening round before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semifinals.
That means they have not won a playoff series in 22 years. The closest one was in 2022 when they lost in the first round against the Golden State Warriors after a grueling seven-game series.
Lakers 3-Peat Cements Legacy Of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal
GettyLOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the Larry O’Brian trophy as teammate Shaquille O’Neal (L) hold the MVP trophy after winning the NBA Championship against Indiana Pacers 19 June, 2000, after game six of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers won the game 116-111 to take the NBA title 4-2 in the best-of-seven series. (AFP/AFP via Getty Images)
Winning a three-peat (2000–2002) cemented Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant as one of the most lethal and dominant duos in NBA history.
It established a modern Lakers dynasty, validated Phil Jackson’s triangle offense, and bridged eras by joining rare company as only the fifth franchise to win three straight titles.
While Shaq claimed all three Finals MVP awards through sheer paint dominance, Kobe’s clutch plays and elite perimeter defense, especially in brutal Western Conference playoff matchups like against the Kings, made them co-pilots of the dynastic engine.
Meanwhile, guys like Mike Bibby never won an NBA championship during his 14-year NBA career after running straight to the Lakers in playoff opportunities.
Ex-Sacramento Star Feels Lakers Robbed Kings Of 2002 NBA Championship