‘I’m sick right now:’ Shaq posts heartbreaking tribute for Kobe Bryant

Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal posted a heartbreaking tribute for his friend and former teammate Kobe Bryant following the news of his death on Sunday.

The former Los Angeles Laker said he was “sick.”

READ MORE: Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash near Los Angeles ⁠— reports

Bryant, the retired NBA superstar, was among nine killed in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles on Sunday. He was 41.

CNN and NBC also reported Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was among the victims.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“Kobe was so much more than an athlete, he was a family man,” O’Neal said.

READ MORE: Canadian basketball community pays tribute to Kobe Bryant

“That was what we had most in common. I would hug his children like they were my own and he would embrace my kids like they were his.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That was what we had most in common. I would hug his children like they were my own and he would embrace my kids like they were his."

The retired NBA player added Bryant’s daughter Gianna, or “Gigi,” was born on the same day has his younger daughter Me’Arah.

O’Neal, 47, and Bryant played for the Lakers between 1996 and 2004, becoming one of the most iconic duos in basketball.

1:31 Moment of silence for Kobe Bryant at NBA game between Rockets, Nuggets

The two went on to win three back-to-back championships together between 2000 to 2002, the Bleacher Report noted.

But the two also had an ongoing public feud for years. In 2004, after losing to Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals, the two parted ways.

Bryant stayed and played with the Lakers, while O’Neal went on to play with the Miami Heat.

1:24 ‘Utter devastation:’ Whitby gym-goers react to Kobe Bryant’s death

The two exchanged petty conversations and critiqued each other’s games for years.

But in 2009, during an NBA All-Star Game, some say the feud ended — the two picked up trophies for co-MVPs during the game, the Washington Post reported.