Lakers: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal Formed NBA's Best Duo Ever, Says Former Champion

For former NBA champion Metta Sandiford-Artest - best known as Metta World Peace- the dynamic duo formed by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal is the best the league has ever seen. An ex-Laker himself, Artest believes there should not be much of an argument as to the two Los Angeles legends reigning supreme over the top one-two punch combos in NBA history.

With the sudden re-emergence of the classic duos sitting at the helm for the majority of NBA teams today, the debate as to which pair formed the best and most successful run in history has entered the room anew.

But for Artest, there is nothing to talk about. “Best NBA duo ever. Hands down. Go Lakers,” the 40-year-old wrote in a short caption as he posted a photo of Bryant and O’Neal on his Twitter page.

The New York-native got the chance to play with Bryant for five seasons in L.A, during which he won his first and only NBA title in 2010. And four months into the latter’s passing, Artest said that up to this day, he still feels the Black Mamba’s “energy” as if he was never gone.

“It still feels like (Kobe’s) alive. I still feel his energy. Everybody deals with it differently. But it still feels like he’s here, which is a good feeling,” the former Defensive Player of the Year told Forbes late in April, as he hailed the basketball legend for influencing him into his coaching career.

“Kobe rubbed off on me with my coaching. He taught me a lot of moves that I didn’t know. Now I’m able to teach those.”

Now at his post-playing years, Artest continues to keep himself busy as he founded a new venture called XvsX Sports – an avenue for sports enthusiasts to “find competitive premium games and experiences at the nicest indoor courts and venues across the country.”

“It’s for people who want to play sports and find each other. You can build a profile and post your games on your feed. Your wins and losses will pop up on your profile,” said Artest about his business.

“You can connect and engage with other sports enthusiasts involved in other sports operations. So, it’s connecting the everyday player with sports enthusiasts who have the same interests.”

Artest played 19 seasons in the NBA and averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He was named an All-Star in 2004 and was hailed a member of the All-Defensive Team four times.