In a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Shaquille O'Neal voiced his disagreement with Stephen A. Smith's claim that Kobe Bryant is not in the greatest of all time (GOAT) conversation. According to O'Neal, Bryant deserves to be mentioned alongside the likes of Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

O'Neal expressed his frustration with how people often overlook Bryant's accomplishments. He emphasized that Bryant's name should always be in the conversation. He disagreed with Smith's belief that Bryant's dominance during the Lakers' three-peat from 2000 to 2002 was irrelevant to the GOAT discussion.

This is not the first time O'Neal has defended Bryant's GOAT status. Despite their past clashes, O'Neal now frequently supports Bryant's place in the conversation. O'Neal's stance is backed by Bryant's impressive career, which includes five championships, two Finals MVPs, and an MVP award, among numerous other accolades.

The debate over the GOAT escalated when Allen Iverson ranked Jordan as number one, Bryant as number two, and James as number three. Smith disagreed with Iverson, asserting that Bryant does not surpass James in terms of statistical accomplishments, including points per game, assists, rebounds, and durability.

Smith also pointed out that Bryant benefited from having O'Neal as his teammate, who was considered one of the most dominant forces in the modern era. On the other hand, James had to lead teams with different star players, such as Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Ray Allen.