Los Angeles Lakers icons Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal formed a dominant duo for the franchise years ago. These days, the Lakers are leaning on a different duo made up of stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
O’Neal and Bryant dominated the NBA in the early 2000s under then-head coach Phil Jackson and won three championships for the Lakers as teammates. James and Davis, on the other hand, are two elite players in today’s NBA, and they helped Los Angeles win its 17th title in franchise history in 2020.
While there’s no denying that all four players in question are all-time greats, former Lakers guard Ron Harper — who played alongside Bryant and O’Neal — found a claim that Davis and James would “easily destroy” his former teammates to be humorous.
Jokes
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) December 29, 2024
O’Neal and Bryant are the more accomplished duo at the very least. No team has won three straight titles since the Lakers did from 2000 through 2002 with the pair leading the way. Los Angeles also reached the NBA Finals on four occasions during the two’s time as teammates.
Meanwhile, James and Davis are now in their sixth season playing alongside one another on the Lakers, yet Los Angeles hasn’t played in the championship series since 2020, when the franchise won it all. In their most recent trip to the playoffs, the Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
Davis, James and the Lakers are hoping they can reach the playoffs again in 2025 and have more success at that stage than they did a season ago now that a new coach, J.J. Redick, is at the helm.
Los Angeles currently holds the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference standings with a record of 18-13 and is fresh off a win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Lakers have had an up-and-down campaign to this point, but they seem to be trending in the right direction with their recent play.
There’s no way to get a definitive answer as to which of Davis and James or Bryant and O’Neal are the better duo, but another championship for the Lakers in 2025 would perhaps add more fuel to the fire regarding the debate.
