Stephen A. Smith doesn't have the great Kobe Bryant as No. 2 on his Greatest of All Time list, and former Los Angeles Lakers big man Shaquill O' Neal is not too happy about it.

During a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show, O'Neal came to the defense of his former Lakers running mate, saying that there should never be a point in time that Bryant is left out of discussions. For O'Neal, it's okay to have different picks for who's the GOAT, but what's unacceptable to him is how Bryant is seemingly being pushed out of the conversation.

“We as people, we stand on what we stand on, but I have a problem with you know what you said. It doesn't matter who the GOAT is. My guy should be in the conversation,” O'Neal told Smith.

“His name should be there all the time. And when his name is not in there. That's when people have a problem,” Shaq added.

Michael Jordan and LeBron James? Shaq says it should be Mike and Lakers great Kobe Bryant

Lakers legend Kobe Bryant billboard New York City

With LeBron James still going strong in the league and continuing to rack up stats, milestones, and achievements on the court, his GOAT case has gotten stronger as well. Nevertheless, O'Neal will always ride with Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in 2020.

“I always hear Mike and LeBron and I used to hear Mike and Kobe. Certain people can be in the conversation. Certain people can't. Before you all say one and two, you can't leave my guy out.”