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Shaq and Kobe sit-down conversation teaser released by NBA on TNT

By Nir Regev

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant greet after the jersey retirement ceremony on December 18, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant greet after the jersey retirement ceremony on December 18, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Shaq and Kobe are having a sit-down ‘Players Only’ conversation airing this NBA All-Star weekend and a teaser trailer has been released.

NBA on TNT has must-see television for Lakers fans this All-Star weekend with Kobe and Shaq talking one-on-one in a sit-down conversation. The monumental ‘Players Only’ meeting goes down on TNT on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET. You can catch the action live right on your laptop at TNTDrama.com’s Watch TNT.

In a teaser trailer released by NBA on TNT, Shaq discusses “not coming into [Laker] camp ready” because he didn’t “need to get ready for dunking”. Shaq then tells Kobe, “Because I had you, I was able to just chill out in the summer”.

Kobe seems genuinely upset about this comment even now, years later, replying “See, that right there, that’s what pissed me off! That was it right there.” They both share a good laugh before the trailer ends, though you can still sort of feel the tension in the air. This sit-down conversation is sure to be absolute gold. For years, NBA fans and Lakers faithful have wanted to hear the story of the early 2000s feud. The closest we’ve gotten previously is Coach Phil Jackson’s books, now we’ll hear about the origins of the feud right from the players themselves.

2004’s dramatic championship loss to the Detroit Pistons in the Finals will likely be a topic of discussion, considering the duo disbanded that very summer. A Lakers dynasty had ended that summer and we’ve been wondering for years if Kobe and Shaq have any regrets about it. Do they feel it was inevitable or could have been avoided? Would they have done anything differently at any point? In a matter of days, Laker fans will finally have answers to these questions that have been lingering ever since.

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Perhaps, this conversation will lead to Kobe Bryant dropping in on NBA on TNT more often. Kobe’s previously offered valuable, entertaining insight before on the show. Notably a Spurs game comes to mind where he described Manu Ginóbili “going left and creating havoc on the floor”.

Saturday’s sit-down conversation is a big step, considering the two superstars have never aired their grievances together in such a public fashion before. We anticipate laughs, getting occasionally heated, and a celebration of what they accomplished together on the Los Angeles Lakers.

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