""The other guy" O'Neal was referring to was Kobe Bryant. He and Bryant won three titles together with the Los Angeles Lakers, then the relationship went south and the Lakers traded O'Neal to Miami in the summer of 2004. Bryant eventually got his fourth and fifth titles to pass O'Neal, and the two teammates-turned-rivals mended fences to a certain extent before Bryant -- along with his daughter Gianna and seven others -- died in a helicopter crash six years ago."
""We were a bunch of misfits that used to argue and fight and do things very untraditionally," said O'Neal, who estimated the Heat had about 40 internal fights that season and all of them blew over almost immediately. "But we never not got along and that's what made it special." That's the way the 2006 Heat were wired, which is why O'Neal didn't take it personally when Miami lost the first two games"
Shaquille O'Neal called the Miami Heat's 2006 championship his favorite, noting the team was not expected to win and he felt personal pressure to secure a title before Kobe Bryant reached a fourth. The Heat reunited for a two-day 20th-anniversary celebration, including a gala and an on-court fan event, with most of the team present. O'Neal described the roster as a group of misfits who argued frequently—about 40 internal fights that season—but quickly moved past conflicts and remained united. The team overcame early setbacks in the Finals and prevailed despite unconventional dynamics and high expectations.
Read at ESPN.com
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