The Los Angeles Lakers have produced some of the most iconic figures in NBA history. With each decade, the Lakers franchise has somehow managed to assemble one historic dynasty after another.
However, it could be argued that no era of Lakers basketball dominated the league quite like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal did in the early 2000's. The combination of O'Neal in his prime and a prodigious Bryant helped bring three consecutive titles to Los Angeles while solidifying their case as perhaps the most dynamic duo in NBA history.
Unfortunately, the rift between these two superstars ultimately led to Shaq's bitter departure and a grudge that would not end for years to come. During an episode of Oprah's Master Class, O'Neal said their feud was reminiscent of what happened between John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles.
“One of my professors from Barry University, Doctor Kopp, he did his thesis on The Beatles, and I read it, and I never knew that John Lennon and Paul McCartney had problems. I never knew that,” he said. “They bumped heads all the time, but guess what? They're one of the greatest acts of all time.”
There are certainly a number of similarities between the career paths of these two legendary duos. Led by the genius pairing of Lennon and McCartney, The Beatles revolutionized the music industry and dominated the landscape all in a short span of just seven years before their eventual breakup in 1970.
Much like their musical counterparts, both went on to enjoy accomplished careers of their own — with one arguably having a more profound impact on their perspective trade than the other. However, their inability to harmonize outside of work will always leave fans wondering what more they could have accomplished had they just been able to stay in sync for a few more years.
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