Shaq Backs Kobe, Slams Jerry Buss

Maybe some credence needs to be lent to the whining baby that is Kobe Bryant. Screamin’ A. Smith (you know what the A stands for, right?) got Shaq to comment on all the rumors of Kobe Bryant’s potential trade demands, and Kobe’s statement that the Lakers were making him the scapegoat. Kobe specifically said that Jerry Buss told him the Lakers weren’t going to re-sign Shaq before Kobe even decided if he would become a free agent. Here’s what the Big Fella said:

“I believe Kobe 100 percent,” said O’Neal, reached yesterday while in Los Angeles on business. “Absolutely. There’s no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth. I believe him a thousand percent. I would have respected Dr. Buss more as a man if he would have told me that himself, because I know he said it. But he didn’t [tell me]. He never said a damn word to me.”

Well shoot howdy! It ain’t often you can get Kobe and Shaq to come out on the same sides of an issue — this has to be accurate. But it still doesn’t change the fact that Kobe is kicking, screaming, and calling every media outlet possible to get his side of the story heard. Yeah, that’s a great way to get potential teams interested in trading for you.