Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t want LeBron James and Anthony Davis to be compared with him and Kobe Bryant

There have been some brilliant pairs in the history of the LA Lakers. There was Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain and then there was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. The LA Lakers continued their legacy as Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant continued to dominate. The talisman duo took the Lakers to three successive NBA Championships from 2000 to 2002.

Now LeBron James and Anthony Davis are doing a fine job for the Lakers. Both the players played a key role in taking LA Lakers to their 17th NBA Championship in the previous season as they performed at the top of their game.

However, former legend Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t want the pair of LeBron James and Anthony Davis to be compared with him and Kobe Bryant. O’Neal added that James and Davis can never be O’Neal and Bryant.

O’Neal said while talking to ESPN, “There will never be the next [Shaq and Kobe]. We don’t need them to catch up to us. Kobe and myself were not trying to catch Magic [Johnson] and Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. … Kobe and I, [our] legacy will never be duplicated. Or imitated.”

O’Neal added that they couldn’t be Magic and Kareem and similarly he and Kobe couldn’t be James and Davis. The 48-year old believes James and Davis will leave their own legacy behind.

Shaq added, “We don’t want to get into the situation where they can be the next us because there will never be a next us. Magic and Kareem can never be us. We could never be Magic and Kareem. And we can never be LeBron and AD.” 

Meanwhile, LA Lakers has had a perfect start to preseason as they have won all their three matches. The Lakers won their third match against the Phoenix Suns by 112-107. The NBA 2020:21 season will kickstart from December 22.