In the National Basketball Association of Men, stood Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. One of the greatest and well known basketball players of there time and inducted into the Hall of Fame. There was a time when there names would be chanted as they walked inside the historic Staple Center, where such giants like Magic Johnson, Rick Fox, Wilt Chamberlain and many other basketball legends have played in. These icons have changed the way basketball is played today; although, they have many similarities with each other, but at the same have many differences that put Kobe and Shaq apart from each other. During there time playing for the Lakers they were partners who no one could break, they could take all the teams just by themselves. Sadly they …show more content…
In his first year he became the Rookie of the Year of 1992, automatically being an eye opener for all teams and scouts. In the year of 1996 he was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers who he would meet his closest friend and his enemy at a certain point in there careers. Kobe Bryant a seventeen year old high school student who would end up in the NBA straight out of high school; which is an accomplishment only few have achieved in the NBA. Played against Michael Jordan in his first year, and you could see how Micheal would look at him as if he was the future of the NBA. Getting traded off to the Los Angeles Lakers where he met his partner in crime Shaq but at the same time found his champion team. Kobe had a mentor when growing up because his father had been an athlete in the NBA, which motivated him to follow his fathers …show more content…
For one, Shaq plays as a center position who is usually under the basket defending, and Kobe is a shooting guard which is more of a shot caller and also playing mostly offense during the game. Shaq is considered a giant from his feet to his head weighing at 400 pounds and seven feet tall, and on the other hand Kobe is roughly around 200 pounds and is six feet and 6 inches. This plays into consideration when it also comes to speed, because Kobe is lighter and shorter he is way faster and has quicker reflexes then Shaq who is much slower then Kobe Bryant. The greatest difference is that Kobe was able to come straight out of high school when it took Shaq to be drafted from