When LeBron James officially closed the chapter on his Lakers career, it didn’t take long for many fans to start looking ahead instead of looking back.
Sure, LeBron delivered a championship in 2020, helped bring home the NBA Cup in 2023, shattered records, and kept the Lakers in the national spotlight for years. Even in his final playoff run wearing purple and gold, the 41-year-old superstar proved he still had plenty left in the tank, putting up more than 23 points per game while battling through the postseason.
But according to Shaquille O’Neal, the reaction from some Lakers fans wasn’t exactly shocking.
Shaq has lived it himself.
Speaking about the unique relationship between Lakers fans and superstar players, the Big Diesel explained that Los Angeles has always had a different way of embracing its legends.
“They didn’t love me—they loved Kobe,” Shaq said while reflecting on his own Lakers days. He added that basketball is still a business, and sometimes personalities, leadership styles, and timing all play a role in how fans remember players.
It’s a perspective that only someone like Shaq can truly understand.
During the Lakers’ legendary three-peat from 2000 through 2002, O’Neal was virtually unstoppable. He captured the league MVP award in 2000, won three straight Finals MVP trophies, and completely dominated the NBA during one of the greatest stretches any center has ever enjoyed.
Yet when his famous partnership with Kobe Bryant finally reached its breaking point, much of the Lakers fan base stood firmly behind the younger superstar.
Shaq doesn’t seem bitter about it. Instead, he simply recognizes what makes Lakers fans different.
In his view, players who spend their entire careers in Los Angeles often become part of the franchise’s identity in a way that stars arriving later simply can’t match. Kobe Bryant became synonymous with the Lakers. Magic Johnson did the same. Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, despite his incredible Lakers résumé, had already built part of his legendary career elsewhere before arriving in Hollywood.
Shaq believes LeBron experienced something very similar.
Before ever putting on a Lakers jersey, LeBron had already won championships in Miami and Cleveland and built lasting legacies with both organizations. By the time he arrived in Los Angeles, he was already one of the greatest players in basketball history. For many Lakers fans, though, he was adding another chapter to an already legendary story—not writing the whole book.
That doesn’t mean his impact wasn’t enormous.
LeBron helped restore the Lakers to championship relevance after several difficult seasons. He brought constant national attention, filled arenas, generated endless headlines, and made nearly every Lakers game feel like must-see television.
Those aren’t contributions you can easily replace with a box score.
Now the franchise begins a new era built around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, two stars who will carry plenty of expectations. If the Lakers hope to hang another championship banner, creating a strong connection with their new cornerstone could be just as important as anything that happens on the court.
As for Shaq, he isn’t criticizing Lakers fans—he’s simply explaining them. And coming from one of the biggest icons to ever wear purple and gold, that’s an opinion worth listening to.