GOATvs › NBA Players › Face-off
Shaquille O'Neal vs Kobe Bryant
Which player? Pick one and see how the world splits.
- Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers · 1972– 51% · #4 in the world
- Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers · 1978–2020 49% · #5 in the world
What the votes say
Too close to call: the world picks Shaquille O'Neal over Kobe Bryant by just 51% to 49%. Shaquille O'Neal is #4 of the 250 NBA players in the world ranking and Kobe Bryant #5; among the 14 of the Los Angeles Lakers, they are #2 and #3.
The case for each
Shaquille O'Neal: The center of the Lakers' three-peat (2000-2002) with three straight Finals MVPs; fans still argue whose team it really was.
Kobe Bryant: Five titles in 20 seasons with the Lakers, three of them beside Shaq and two after (2009, 2010) with two Finals MVPs; 81 points in one game in 2006 and the 2008 MVP.
Side by side
| Shaquille O'Neal | Kobe Bryant | |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | #4 | #5 |
| Team | Los Angeles Lakers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Born | 1972 | 1978 |