Out between the rings started by pimping Kobe on the move.

Clouds throw down right my job for the first time in 19 Lakers have in Van final.

We welcome in one of the most dominant forces the game of basketball has ever seen.

He is a four time champion.

Three of those titles came with his former teammate Kobe Bryant.

The one and only Shaquille O Neal is in the house with us Shack.

Great to have you on the show.

Thank you for being here.

Obviously, we're celebrating and not celebrating.

But talking about the anniversary of Kobe Bryant's passing talk to me for a second about the thoughts initially that came to your mind as you've had an opportunity.

Reflect that.

It's one year ago today that Kobe Bryant passed away when I was briefly reminded the other day that the anniversary was coming up.

Can't believe that the years has went so fast, But listen, we're thinking about him.

Everybody is thinking about him.

I'm really thinking about his parents, Pam and Joe.

I gave him a call all the day and let him know that I love him.

Let him know that I will always be there for.

But, you know, again, it's It's a sad day.

Uh, he's going on way too soon.

You said you spoke to Kobe Bryant's parents.

Could you share with us how they're doing right now?

How are they feeling?

How did they sound when you spoke to them?

Well, I just called to say Mom and Dad, I love you.

If you need anything, give me a call.

You know, we didn't really, You know, come and say much.

I know it's a rough day for them.

I didn't want to bother him.

I just want to let them know that they ever need me for anything.

You know, they call, You know, I love his mom, love his dad, loved his sisters.

And, you know, I really, really feel for them.

You know, the world is hurting, but they're really hurting.

The world is definitely hurting.

No question about that.

They're hurting his wife and s and his Children are hurting.

I know you're hurting.

I'm hurting.

But I will say this.

There is a lot to celebrate when you think about the life of Kobe Bryant.

And as you've had an opportunity over the last year to reflect on all he's meant to.

You talk about the farm memories that still into your mind when you think about the great moment you've had with Kobe Bryant.

You know, we have great memories.

I could remember when you know.

Hey, and I did the TNT special, and he talked about when we first met.

I didn't remember that.

I remember him coming to the locker room, and he was he was looking for Penny and you know, him and Penny.

I guess Penny was too busy for whatever.

And then he came to me and asked for autographs and pitching.

I was like, Sure, young fella, I didn't even know that.

Like, even when we play together, Like he never told me that.

But look, he he was a guy that when he came in the 17 18, he knew he wanted to be the best player in the world.

And, you know, we had we definitely have the big brother little brother relationship, and people ask me all the time If we had all over to do again, what would I do?

Different?

And the answer is nothing.

We definitely pushed each other, it was able for us to win through out of four.

Unfortunately, the business of basketball kicked in.

I wanted to do other things, and then he was really able to shine and, you know, take over, you know, make a name for herself.

But again, he's going to soon.

He'll never be for gotten, but I can both fully say that we are the most enigmatic, controversial, most dominant 12 punch.

A little too big ever created, and we will never be duplicated.

I don't care what you say, and I don't care who you try to compare us.

Toe will never be another Kobe and Shaq ever again.

When you've reflected on Kobe Bryant, his life, his accomplishments being the five time champion that he is.

And you think about the times that y'all had together.

How many titles do you believe you all would have won had you all stay together?

Probably probably.

At least at least you know, two or three more.

But again, you know, the business of, you know, basketball kicked in.

I don't wanna elaborate that everyone knows the story and about that today.

But listen, he was he was one of the greatest players ever.

Glad I had the ability to go to war with him.

My favorite story is in the in the finals.

Indiana.

I was killing, done to file trouble, and it was one of those games that if we lose, Indiana may get the momentum.

They can win the championship.

But Kobe, during the time I was that big dog I got, you just sit back and enjoy the show.

It was the most impressive 5671 minutes I've ever seen.

That's what I got, the press conference that things guy is, you know, the best player in the world.

I've only seen one other guys say what he was gonna dio and go out and do it when that was Michael Jordan.

So you know, at that point, look, I already had respect for him, but when he did that during during the finals, I was like, he's ready.

When I talk about seeing Kobe for the last time on New Year's Eve in 2000 and 19, I talk about him looking as if he had been happier than I've ever seen him in mind in the entire time that I've known him throughout his adult life.

That's the happiest that I had seen him.

He seemed to relax like he had accomplished everything.

He was a few years removed from retirement, etcetera.

Is that the impression that you got in the years since he retired that he had been happier than you had ever seen him?

It is.

But the last time I seen him play because I would always like to test Kobe's temperature.

You ain't gonna do nothing tonight.

Get you Ain't gonna do nothing.

They go out and get 50.

So his last game was like, Hey, man, E need you get 50.

He's like, Man, I'm too old for that.

I was like, You know what you are.

You can't get 50.

He went out and hit 60 and look, he's been doing that since 17, 18 years old.

That's why you know, he's one of the greatest.

But hey was definitely happy.

Beautiful family, beautiful wife, beautiful kids, you know, he was doing well in business and everybody you know was happy for when you sat down one on one with him.

When y'all y'all Did y'all wanna one reflecting on your career together?

What did you walk away.

Take What did you take away from that interview with him that you may not have known prior to that interview?

What did you get from that?

I mean, I get that we were both young chasing the same thing, and I've I've actually said this on air.

A lot of times, people were about useless titles.

His team is his team and, you know, but like off the court, we work about useless title.

But every time we got on the court, we took care of the, you know, task.

That was that was that hat.

I wish I would have been able to communicate with him or at the basketball.

You know, that's too.

That's the only thing that really makes me upset.

That's what I tell people.

If you have friends people, you ain't seen high school teammates, college teammates, all work buddies, and you need to need to tell them something.

Reach out.

Calling, texting face time.

Let him know you love him.

Let him know you miss him.

Let him know you care about.

Is that your biggest regret?

When it comes to Kobe?

The fact that you all didn't talk as much as you would have liked to.

Yes, Kobe Bryant and my sister.

My sister passed away a couple of months before Kobe.

And you know how we are, Steven, that we work and, you know, we got things to do, You know, we're trying to build a brand, and we're trying to do so much.

You know, we really need to take time and, you know, just just reflect on, you know, speaking to our loved ones.

So that's what's been haunting me this this this past past year or so.

Not not being able to just tell them every day that I love him when I should.

There's no excuses.

What would Kobe Saito all of us?

Now he's in heaven, looking down on us, wishing us the best.

Probably wanted to push us, drive us forward.

What would he be saying us about now as it pertains to how we should be feeling about him and what she what we all should be doing with ourselves?

What would he saying?

Estimation?

He will probably say, Carry on.

He would probably say, you know, you know, thank you.

Good lesson.

At age 17, he said, I'm gonna be the Will Smith of the MBA.

Always one of the biggest.

Yes, that's what he said to me.

He said I want to be one of the biggest names to ever greatest basketball court.

People are definitely going to remember her name, and he was already a legend.

But look, uh, you know, every day I see a Kobe highlight every day I see a Kobe tribute.

My daughter got in contact with a guy who painted me these two beautiful pictures.

One of myself, One of Kobe.

I purchased him last night.

I was on Instagram live with a guy who painted the Kobe and check photo.

I'm gonna buy that follow from him on.

I actually have a mural in my living room.

Mhm.

You know, Kobe could critique.

I would know this personally because I get on you about your wardrobe from time to time.

You know how I dio you're gonna ask me, Kobe?

Kobe will say you're breaking all the rules.

You can't wear a white out the winner, e.

I know you're not wearing that suit that.

Take that suit, take it outside to a New York City dumpster and set it on fire.

and run away.

Don't walk away.

He would not say that.

He wouldn't.

He would not say that.

He would not say that.

No, he would not say that.

I will tell you this, though.

I'm gonna tell you a quick story.

One time he came into the hay, came into the Staples Center and he was wearing some outfit looking like he was Gandhi or somebody.

I walked up to him.

I said, What is that?

He said Comey and he looked at me and he used the M F word.

And he said, Let me tell you something.

I've been on the cover of Geek twice.

Fall back.

I couldn't come back from that shock.

I couldn't come back from that.

What do you say to you about your wardrobe?

First of all, first of all, I'm changing your name to Stephen Belafonte Smith, because that's what you look like right now.

You look like a jazz singer from the nineties scooping up Booth Booth s so he would have a problem with this.

He would have a problem with this right here, but not what you Not what?

You've been worrying, but not what you've been wearing.

You can't wear white in the winter, man.

It's not White is great.

It is a great way.

This is great.

It's great.

Look, man, get out of here.

I gotta go.

I appreciate your big boy.

Thank you for taking time out of your business schedule, man.

All right, man.

All right.