Three-Ring Circus

The story of the Lakers dynasty from 1996 through 2004, when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal combinedand collidedto help bring the Lakers three straight championships and restore the franchise as a powerhouseIn the history of modern sport, there have never been two high-level teammates who loathed eachother the way Shaquille O'Neal loathed Kobe Bryant, and Kobe Bryant loathed Shaquille O'Neal. From public sniping and sparring, to physical altercations and the repeatedthreats of trade, it was warfare.And yet, despiteeightyears of infighting and hostility, by turns mediated and encouraged by coach Phil Jackson, the Shaq-Kobeduo resulted in one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.Together, the two led the Lakers to three straight championships andreturned glory and excitementto Los Angeles. In the tradition of Jeff Pearlman's bestsellers Showtime,Boys Will Be Boys,andThe Bad Guys Won,Three-Ring Circus is a rollicking deep dive into one of sports' most fraught yet successful pairings.