NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal has a touching monthly tradition with the late Kobe Bryant's mother, Pam. The 53-year-old retired Los Angeles Lakers star calls Pam monthly to check in on her.
"I always check in on Kobe's mom. I check in on his mom once a month, make sure she's okay," O'Neal told "People."
He also sends flowers to Pam from time to time to try to brighten her day.
Why Shaq has a heartfelt tradition with Kobe Bryant's family
Shaq has a good explanation for why he's maintained close contact with his former teammate and friend's family over the years.
"I just try to make her smile. I just try to do whatever I can, because I know it's tough," Shaq explained.
The 53-year-old retired NBA star told the outlet that before his passing, Bryant "used to check in on my mom and dad" regularly.
"They live in Vegas. I'm in Vegas. I'm close with his sisters. I just call to check on them," O'Neal said, referring to Bryant's siblings, 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," the 7-foot-1 basketball player said. "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."
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Bryant died tragically with his daughter, Gianna, and seven other passengers in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California in 2020.
O'Neal won three championships with Bryant over eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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