First published 2020
Jeff Pearlman chronicles the Lakers dynasty that dominated basketball from 1996 to 2004. He focuses on the volatile relationship between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, two superstars whose mutual hatred created constant drama. The author documents their public feuds, physical fights, and trade demands while showing how coach Phil Jackson managed their warfare. Despite eight years of bitter conflict, this dysfunctional partnership delivered three consecutive championships and restored the Lakers to prominence. Pearlman draws from his experience covering similar sports stories in previous books like Showtime and Boys Will Be Boys. He reveals how the most successful yet poisonous duo in modern sports history brought glory back to Los Angeles while tearing each other apart behind the scenes.
Genres: 20th-century, sports, biography-memoir, 21st-century, sports-romance, basketball, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 1996-2004
426 pages · Hardcover · Mariner Books