NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal approves of a new spin-off TV drama focusing on his and Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers – as long as the showrunners speak to him.

Shaq, 51, believes a reincarnation of the basketball series Winning Time centered on his “feud” with Kobe would be a hit.

Shaquille O’Neal (right) said he would like to participate in the production of a show about his three-peat run alongside Kobe Bryant (left) on the Los Angeles LakersCredit: AFP

Shaquille hopes the series would explain his complex relationship with Bryant as he maintains their ‘feud’ was just a marketing ployCredit: Getty
Earlier in February, The U.S Sun revealed that Winning Time producers want to document the Kobe-Shaq Lakers era on screen.

O’Neal reacted to the report as he attended his carnival-themed music festival – Shaq’s Fun House – at the legendary XS Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas.

And Shaq said he wants the stories from his three-peat run alongside Bryant to be told, hoping the show would explain his complex relationship with the late Lakers great.

“It would be very entertaining,” he told The U.S. Sun. “Hopefully they come to me so they get the ins and outs.”

“As a marketer, I made it look like it was problems, but you have to understand marketing. I want all the eyes on me.

“So you got two alpha males.

“If you got two puppies, they’re going to bite each other. But guess what? You can’t bite them.

“Another dog can’t come in and mess with puppies. So we did everything the way it was supposed to be done.

“We did it respectfully and we won three out of four.”

Shaq admits he would be “upset” if writers and producers do not collaborate with him, preventing unheard tales from being told.

That’s because, he insists, the infamous “feud” with Kobe was his motivation and marketing methods employed to push the All-Star duo to an extraordinary three-peat between 2000-2002.

O’Neal said he purposefully “drove [Bryant] crazy” to elevate his game, knowing his Lakers co-star would play at a higher level when upset.

“I knew exactly what I was doing and how I was doing it,” the legendary NBA center said.

“So if they talk to me, it’ll be a perfect show.

“They don’t talk to me and just be a bunch of rumors and speculations.”

O’Neal spoke on the blue carpet at his Fun House, which included performances from Lil Wayne, Diplo, and Shaq himself as DJ Diesel.

“I am very proud of what we achieved,” the four-time NBA champion said of his festival in Vegas.

“Vegas was tough. There is not a lot of space, a lot going on over Super Bowl weekend.

“But because I have a residency next door at Encore Beach Club, the Wynn was kind enough to let me use this space.”

Kobe and Shaq won three NBA championships together while on the LakersCredit: AFP