Shaquille O’Neal has disclosed that his relationship with the late Kobe Bryant’s mother, Pam Bryant, is still going strong. The 53-year-old said he makes time to check on her once a month.
O’Neal, who spent eight seasons with Bryant on the Lakers and won three championships with him, told People, “I always check in on Kobe’s mom. I check in on his mom once a month, make sure she’s okay.”
Bryant “used to check in on my mom and dad” before his passing in January 2020, according to the basketball great, and he is honored to follow in Bryant’s footsteps.
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“They live in Vegas. I’m in Vegas. I’m close with his sisters. I just call to check on them,” he said of Bryant’s sisters Sharia, 49, and Shaya, 48.
“Their mom has been through a lot in a couple of years, and that takes a toll, and sometimes you just need somebody to just call to check on you,” O’Neal explained. “I kind of know what it feels like with the passing of her son, but I don’t know what it feels like to lose a son and a husband, so I’m sure she has a lot of pain that she’s dealing with,” he added, referring to the death of Kobe’s father Joe Bryant in July 2024.
In his 2022 People cover story, O’Neal addressed his friendship with Bryant. He said he always thought he had more time to spend with his friend, even though the former teammates always had a strong affection and regard for each other. “[I thought], ‘We’re both going to get old. We’ll both be at the 50-year Lakers anniversary.'”
“Other things shouldn’t have been more important [than getting in touch], but little things [got in the way]. You put off [getting in touch],” he continued. “I’ll never get to see Kobe again, in real life, forever. And I just should have called. He should have called. We both should have called. But he’s working, I’m working, so it’s ‘I’ll see you when I see you.'”
Reflecting on that, O’Neal advised readers: “Call your mom. Call your brother. Call the homeboy you used to party with in college. Forever is a long time.”
In keeping with his mission to support bereaved families, Georgia and Florida sheriffs have announced their collaboration with O’Neal to pay tribute to the four girls who died in a house fire in Columbus County on August 30.
WECT reports that the partnership is a combined donation that “fully covers the expenses associated with honoring the girls, lifting the financial burden from the grieving family,” according to a news statement from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
“As a father, my heart is broken for the Ellis family,” O’Neal said. “What I can offer is love, support, and a promise that their lives will not be forgotten.”
An HCSO official told WECT that O’Neal was saddened by the tragedy, which prompted Sheriff Reginald Scandrett and other sheriffs to offer assistance.
