O'Neal Returns to the Team

The two sides entered a deadlock, and this was when the bench squad's five-point lead from the first quarter began to show.

Kobe Bryant remained unhurried, firmly controlling the tempo and running down the clock on every possession. He would rather take low-percentage shots than commit turnovers and let the starters get out in transition.

After two quarters, the starters trailed the bench 43–47. Kobe had won this intrasquad scrimmage.

"Hahaha, Boss, did you see how dark the faces of those so-called Lakers stars were?" After practice, Kobe and his group went out for dinner. Fisher shouted excitedly.

"That Ceballos even said he was going to teach us a lesson. Big Ben wrecked him." Bruce Bowen was also somewhat worked up. From an undrafted player who had played overseas to defeating the starters of a playoff team, only he knew the bitterness and sweetness of that journey.

Ben Wallace smiled honestly. In just two quarters, he had recorded two steals and four blocks.

"It's all because Boss is so great." Travis Knight flattered him. He had not originally been that close with Kobe's group, but after going through a series of games, he understood that if he wanted to establish himself on the team, he had to hold tightly to Kobe's coattails. Especially after learning that Rob Pelinka had secured $250,000 contracts for Bowen and Ben, he was beginning to think about changing agents.

"You guys were incredible today!" Rob Pelinka appeared at the restaurant. Since they had yet to receive their paychecks and were not well-off, the group had chosen a burger joint. The sight of a bunch of hulking men wolfing down food drew frequent glances from passersby. At the moment, they did not have many fans, so they did not need to worry about being recognized on the street.

"Great! To celebrate today's performance, we're going to the weight room after we eat!" Kobe said happily.

"Boss, can you change the way you celebrate?" Fisher had a headache. This boss was great in every way except that he loved dragging everyone into endless training. And his habit of throwing basketballs at people's heads when they disobeyed really needed to change.

After the game, Del Harris gathered the coaching staff for a brief meeting about the scrimmage.

"Kobe was excellent. He absolutely deserves to start." Rambis firmly supported Kobe. In two quarters, Kobe had put up Jordan-level numbers of 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists against the Lakers' starters.

"I think we should keep observing him. He just turned eighteen, so we can develop him gradually. Whether he can adapt to the NBA's grueling schedule is something we need to worry about. Besides, who would he replace?" another assistant coach said.

Del Harris admired the bench squad's performance, but he also had doubts. Kobe's performance had been built on having the ball in his hands almost all the time, yet he could not possibly be the focal point of the starters. Once he had to share touches with those stars as a starter, could Kobe adapt?

Especially with O'Neal set to return for the preseason, would a player chasing a championship tolerate the mistakes of a rookie?

After some thought, Harris still decided not to adjust the starting lineup. He planned to use Kobe as the sixth man. In his view, last year's starters were all highly experienced, and this season their goal had to be to achieve better results.

"The starters' physical condition is worrying. Gary Vitti, you need to lead them in recovery training as soon as possible." Harris felt that a major reason Kobe had defeated the starters was that those players were not physically ready.

Los Angeles could make you famous, or quietly lead you into depravity. Kobe and the others returned to the gym to train, but where would those Lakers stars be?

"Hey, my guys. The Big Diesel, Shaq, is here." The towering O'Neal finally stepped into the team's practice facility before the preseason began.

He was finally here. Kobe looked at O'Neal. My comrade-in-arms. In this life, let's create glory together.

The name Shaquille had been given to him by his biological father, Joseph Toney. Because Joseph had been imprisoned when O'Neal was nine months old, O'Neal had no choice but to follow his mother, Lucie O'Neal, when she married Philip Harrison.

O'Neal's stepfather, Philip Harrison, joined the U.S. military when O'Neal was two years old. He was an Army sergeant, and because he was frequently reassigned, O'Neal's family had to move often. Even as a child, O'Neal was much taller and bigger than other children his age, and he was also very mischievous, so Philip often disciplined him with a belt.

After graduating from high school, O'Neal entered Louisiana State University. While playing for Louisiana State University's basketball team, he was named NCAA Southern Player of the Year twice. In 1991, O'Neal was also named NCAA National Player of the Year. On December 3, 1990, in a game against Mississippi State University, O'Neal recorded 17 blocks, breaking the NCAA single-game blocks record.

He was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic. During the summer before moving to Orlando, O'Neal improved his basketball skills under Magic Johnson's guidance and spent a considerable amount of time in Los Angeles. Since his teammate Terry Catledge refused to give up jersey number 33, O'Neal chose to wear his high school number, 32.

In four seasons with the Magic, he made the playoffs three times. He eliminated the Bulls once, but was swept twice by the Indiana Pacers and the Bulls. The Magic offered O'Neal a seven-year, $69 million contract in hopes of keeping the All-Star center. However, O'Neal wanted a deal worth $20 million per year with an opt-out clause after the third year, while the Magic's offer was not even worth $10 million per year and did not include an opt-out clause.

O'Neal once asked Magic general manager John Gabriel why the team's management, despite clearly knowing his value and potential, was unwilling to pay him a salary that matched them. But Gabriel answered that they could not disappoint Anfernee Hardaway and could not offer O'Neal more than him.

O'Neal then initiated a poll in the Orlando Sentinel, the most influential newspaper in the area. The first question asked, "If firing head coach Brian Hill were made a condition of O'Neal's return, should the Magic comply?" Eighty-two percent of fans chose "No." Another question in the poll asked, "Is O'Neal really worth $115 million?" As a result, 91.3 percent of fans chose "Not worth it." This poll strengthened O'Neal's resolve to leave Orlando. He finally understood that both the team's management and Orlando's fans considered Anfernee Hardaway to be the Magic's core player, while he himself was merely a supporting character.

O'Neal then announced to the public that he would sign a seven-year, $120 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, officially joining the Lakers.