The Los Angeles Lakers might see the last of star shooting guard Kobe Bryant in the upcoming 2015–16 season but former teammate and basketball great Shaquille O'Neal is thinking otherwise.
O'Neal, who spent eight seasons with the Lakers and Bryant, had some advice for his former teammate.
"'If you still got something, you should go because once it's done you can't get it back," O'Neal said, according to The Times Picayune.
The 43-year-old retired center added, "If I hadn't got hurt I would have went on and played my last season to try and break Wilt Chamberlain's scoring record."
O'Neal also cited the difference of playing as a guard and as a big man stating, "But it's different for a guard because they got control — 'I'm going to shoot this time.' For big guys, it is kind of hard. You've got to labor down."
In eight seasons playing for Los Angeles, O'Neal and Bryant led the franchise to three National Basketball Association (NBA) championships from 2000 to 2002.
Despite their great on-court chemistry, the two had issues off the court which may have started O'Neal's disagreements with the franchise leading to his departure after the 2003–04 season.
But recently in O'Neal's podcast, he and Bryant shared their regrets about their previous feud while playing together in Los Angeles and have settled their differences.
Meanwhile, Bryant already said before that a decision regarding his career will be made following the 2015–16 season.
The 37-year-old shooting guard will be entering the final year of a two-year extension contract he signed with the Lakers in 2013.
There is no doubt that Bryant can still play as he averaged 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
The main concern is the five-time NBA champion's health, which has limited him to a combined 41 games in the past two seasons.
Lakers head coach Byron Scott shared in an interview that Bryant will have a cap with his playing minutes in the upcoming season.
