Shaq Statue Before Kobe's?

[DKLaker]

If you believe that both players should get a statue, then Shaq's should naturally be first. It's a timing matter. Shaq is older, retired first, jersey retired first and ended his time as a laker first. It's just a matter of chronological order.

To be honest, Kareem should have had one before Magic.

If Kareem wasn't such an A-Hole he would've gotten one right away.

I GUARANTEE you that Kobe will get a statue at Staples before Shaq.

[DKLaker]

Isn't he getting his jersey retired this season?

Yes, jersey being retired this year.

[Kews1]

Sorry, that's an un-informed argument, Kobe has played his ENTIRE CAREER with the Lakers winning 5 titles.....more than Shaq, almost 3 peating WITHOUT SHAQ......SHAQ never went to 2 straight finals without Kobe.

Kobe is the Lakers All-Time Leading scorer, Has the Highest scoring game as a Laker with 81......Shaq's highest was 61, Kobe's All-star MVP awards were all as a Laker...the most of any NBA player. Kobe has the most All-NBA 1st team and total All-NBA team votes.

The next statues should be Elgin Baylor then Kobe, then Shaq.
Facts are facts, Kobe VERY CLEARLY deserves it much more than Shaq.....it's not even remotely close.

Sorry, that's an un-informed argument, Kobe has played his ENTIRE CAREER with the Lakers winning 5 titles.....more than Shaq, almost 3 peating WITHOUT SHAQ......SHAQ never went to 2 straight finals without Kobe.

Kobe is the Lakers All-Time Leading scorer, Has the Highest scoring game as a Laker with 81......Shaq's highest was 61, Kobe's All-star MVP awards were all as a Laker...the most of any NBA player. Kobe has the most All-NBA 1st team and total All-NBA team votes.

The next statues should be Elgin Baylor then Kobe, then Shaq.
Facts are facts, Kobe VERY CLEARLY deserves it much more than Shaq.....it's not even remotely close.

It's not uninformed what so ever, it showed what had been done in the past of equal greatness and the outcomes. In terms of championships you can't deny that had Shaq not been on the 3peat teams then not one of those championships would have been won therefore they are clearly Shaqs titles and he deserves full recognition for them. Sure Kobe's resume says 5 championships but in reality he only has two for which he can be credited for. It's not hate, bias or anything it's just undeniable that without Shaq those championships do not occur. Secondly Shaq didn't play his whole career as a laker and obviously that means he didn't have the same aura and association with the lakers as Kobe does. But Shaq would have stayed in LA if it were not for the Kobe-Shaq feud so it's not as if he walked out on the franchise there just came a cross roads were management made the smart decision and stuck with the young upcoming star.

And scoring is all good and well, bravo on the 81 point game but that doesn't have the same value as a 3-peat. Single game performances are impressive and all but the real deal comes from championships and Shaq put three together in a row and like I said only Shaq Mikan Jordan and Russell managed to do that so in terms of winning contributions to a franchise Shaq trumps Kobe. In terms of importance to the franchise from all other aspects Kobe trumps Shaq. but ask players what matters championships, ask fans what they want , championships. It's pretty clear.

[RazorBaLade]

to me having the last statue is the bigger honor.....

youre gonna have the newest statue there for the next what 20 years MINIMUM? id rather see kobes go up after shaqs

[Jacks3]

Shaq will never get one, nor does he deserve one.

LOL @ him being more deserving than Bryant.

[DixieNourmous]

Shaq already was a statue for the last 5-6 years of his career.

[KOBE143]

He will not, he played for the Celtics..

[Rasheed1]

It's not uninformed what so ever, it showed what had been done in the past of equal greatness and the outcomes. In terms of championships you can't deny that had Shaq not been on the 3peat teams then not one of those championships would have been won therefore they are clearly Shaqs titles and he deserves full recognition for them. Sure Kobe's resume says 5 championships but in reality he only has two for which he can be credited for. It's not hate, bias or anything it's just undeniable that without Shaq those championships do not occur. Secondly Shaq didn't play his whole career as a laker and obviously that means he didn't have the same aura and association with the lakers as Kobe does. But Shaq would have stayed in LA if it were not for the Kobe-Shaq feud so it's not as if he walked out on the franchise there just came a cross roads were management made the smart decision and stuck with the young upcoming star.

And scoring is all good and well, bravo on the 81 point game but that doesn't have the same value as a 3-peat. Single game performances are impressive and all but the real deal comes from championships and Shaq put three together in a row and like I said only Shaq Mikan Jordan and Russell managed to do that so in terms of winning contributions to a franchise Shaq trumps Kobe. In terms of importance to the franchise from all other aspects Kobe trumps Shaq. but ask players what matters championships, ask fans what they want , championships. It's pretty clear.

Basically...

Lakers don't win any of those three titles without Shaq.. He made everything happen. He scared defenses to death. made teams collapse on him in the paint and it opened up everything for the fishers and Horry's, glen rice's of the world. Kobe was a young up and coming star, but no way could he carry those teams...

I know 76ers would have taken that series in 01 if there was no Shaq around to destroy everyone in the paint and set up any and all perimeter action for the rest of his teammates...

[DKLaker]

Basically...

Lakers don't win any of those three titles without Shaq.. He made everything happen. He scared defenses to death. made teams collapse on him in the paint and it opened up everything for the fishers and Horry's, glen rice's of the world. Kobe was a young up and coming star, but no way could he carry those teams...

I know 76ers would have taken that series in 01 if there was no Shaq around to destroy everyone in the paint and set up any and all perimeter action for the rest of his teammates...

Shaq wouldn't have won crap without Kobe......and beyond that Shaq never went to even back to back finals without Kobe, obviously he needed Kobe more than Kobe needed him.......Kobe went to 3 straight finals without him
Kobe has been to 7 NBA Finals......Shaq has been to 5
Kobe won 5.........Shaq won 4...only 3 with the Lakers
That among everything makes this a no-brainer.
Shaq couldn't win with Lebron, couldn't win with Nash.
Shaq cared so much about the Lakers franchise that he joined Boston EPIC FAIL


Don't get me wrong, Shaq had a great run but as a Laker, Kobe has done much more and meant much more to the franchise.

[funnystuff]

I think Kobe and Shaq will get one statue together, I don't think either of them did enough without the other to warrant single statues, together they were unstoppable.



I think that's how these two will be remembered and a statue would be great.

Oh the IRONY in that picture..

[magictricked]

Don't get me wrong, Shaq had a great run but as a Laker, Kobe has done much more and meant much more to the franchise.

That's the point people seem to be missing in this discussion.

It's not about title runs, it's about being a Laker for 17 years vs. Shaq's 8
It's about going down as arguably the greatest Laker ever
It's about representing the city

Kobe has become a global icon, He's far and away more beloved in the city of LA than Shaq ever was.

I said it before it's not about numbers it's a popularity contest and Kobe wins. He wins it in the Laker front office, he wins in the halls of Staples Center and he wins it on the streets of Los Angeles.

I wonder how many people trying to promote Shaq in this thread are actually Lakers fans? Normally I don't fandom plays a part in a discussion but this is one where fans should carry the loudest voice

[longtime lurker]

That's the point people seem to be missing in this discussion.

It's not about title runs, it's about being a Laker for 17 years vs. Shaq's 8
It's about going down as arguably the greatest Laker ever
It's about representing the city

Kobe has become a global icon, He's far and away more beloved in the city of LA than Shaq ever was.

I said it before it's not about numbers it's a popularity contest and Kobe wins. He wins it in the Laker front office, he wins in the halls of Staples Center and he wins it on the streets of Los Angeles.

I wonder how many people trying to promote Shaq in this thread are actually Lakers fans? Normally I don't fandom plays a part in a discussion but this is one where fans should carry the loudest voice

It's all about stats to these idiots on insidehoops. Thank G!ad the rest of the world doesn't think like these morons. Shaq should get a statue but to say he's more deserving because OMG he carried Kobe is retarded

[Rasheed1]

Shaq wouldn't have won crap without Kobe......and beyond that Shaq never went to even back to back finals without Kobe, obviously he needed Kobe more than Kobe needed him.......Kobe went to 3 straight finals without him
Kobe has been to 7 NBA Finals......Shaq has been to 5
Kobe won 5.........Shaq won 4...only 3 with the Lakers
That among everything makes this a no-brainer.
Shaq couldn't win with Lebron, couldn't win with Nash.
Shaq cared so much about the Lakers franchise that he joined Boston EPIC FAIL


Don't get me wrong, Shaq had a great run but as a Laker, Kobe has done much more and meant much more to the franchise.

None of that is relevant to the main point which is that Shaq was the far and away the best player on the Lakers during that threepeat run. The run doesnt happen at all without Shaq.

If you like Kobe better or feel he deserves a statue more? thats fine.. Thats not my point..

[DKLaker]

None of that is relevant to the main point which is that Shaq was the far and away the best player on the Lakers during that threepeat run. The run doesnt happen at all without Shaq.

If you like Kobe better or feel he deserves a statue more? thats fine.. Thats not my point..

That is incredibly narrow minded......this THREAD IS ABOUT WHO SHOULD GET A STATUE FIRST......not about those 3 years
Come on man, at least read the heading of the thread you are posting in

Stats, years played, rings, popularity.......EVERYTHING is in Kobe's favor.......no sensible argument to be made against that here. Kobe should and WILL get his statue first!!!

[Real Girl]

Kobe should get his at the Figueroa Street Entrance.