Kobe relishes opportunity to thank Shaq at statue unveiling

Time heals all wounds for at least two former adversaries.

Just as Shaquille O'Neal was on hand to support Kobe Bryant at his unforgettable 60-point farewell last April, Bryant will be in attendance as the Los Angeles Lakers unveil O'Neal's statue outside Staples Center Friday.

"When you win three titles together and you’ve had so much impact on one another’s legacy as a player and as a champion," Bryant told Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times.

"There is absolutely no way in the world I would miss an opportunity to talk about him and thank him and to acknowledge everything that he’s done for not only this organization and the city, but for me personally."

O'Neal and Bryant have a lengthy history dating back to their dynastic run, followed by the ensuing fallout in their eight seasons as Lakers icons. Much has been made of how the two wronged or helped each other, but all that is in the past.

The tune is decidedly different these days.

"I’ve learned so much from him," Bryant said. "He’s extremely, extremely good at bringing others on the team and pushing them. Striking the balance between hard leadership and a pat on the back. Those are things I learned from him … That was a big, big shift for me."

The Lakers will unveil a 1,200-pound, nine-foot, bronze statue of O'Neal, immortalized by his signature two-handed power jams, on Friday.

In addition to Bryant, other Lakers icons such as Phil Jackson and Jerry West will also be present.