In the wake of the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant in January 2020, there was a feeling of unity in sorrow within Los Angeles. Thousands of fans flocked to the front of Crypto.com Arena, then known as Staples Center, where they left flowers, jerseys, and notes honoring the iconic Laker star. During this tough week, Shaquille O’Neal made an understated move among all the commotion. As discovered later through comedian Jeff Ross, Shaq came out of his vehicle and hugged people who had no idea who he was and were mourning Bryant.
Jeff Ross talked about this experience when he joined Shaq’s podcast in April 2026. He recalled how he saw Shaq at the venue, waiting at a red light in his vehicle. Instead of asking for signatures and photo ops, O’Neal immediately headed to the tribute area and comforted fans who were honoring Kobe Bryant.
A Quiet Gesture That Spoke Volumes
The story caught O’Neal off guard.
His visit was entirely private, as he told Ross, “How’d you know that? Nobody knows that.”
It was the epitome of the genuine nature of the act. Shaq wasn’t looking for any media sensation. It wasn’t easy for him to be at his late friend and former teammate’s memorial event after experiencing the pain of losing his dear friend, but he knew how much Kobe meant to all the people who gathered outside the Staples Center.
The two teammates dominated the league with three consecutive titles of the NBA from 2000 to 2002. Despite being rivals before their career started, they became brothers who supported each other during the championship seasons of the team. Shaq was so broken after Kobe Bryant died at the age of 41 that he didn’t even realize he had the energy and power to support all the mourners outside the stadium created by Bryant.
According to Ross, O’Neal is a “healer.” She said that Shaq always spreads light when people need it the most. That was absolutely true because, in the week of darkness in Los Angeles sports, he decided to spread love and care instead of looking for attention. Just a couple of hugs were enough to make people believe they were not alone in their sorrow.
