Is it fair to say that Shaq didn’t truly start winning until Kobe joined the Lakers, or is that another oversimplification fans make?

Another dumb oversimplification by Kobe fans in order to diminish Shaq in order to make Kobe look better.

First of all, Shaq went to a Finals in 1995 and beat MJ en route to that Finals. That’s not nothing. I know dumbass casuals online are all about ‘we don’t give out participation awards only winning a chip matters’ but going to the Finals is not nothing; you have to beat 3 playoff caliber teams on the way there. If going to the Finals was a ‘participation award’ then what’s losing in the first round?? is that also the same participation award?

Second of all, Kobe joined in 1996–1997, and was promoted to a starter in the 1999 season. Shaq and Kobe started winning chips in 2000. So it’s incorrect to say that they started winning immediately when Kobe was promoted to starter. It’s more correct to say when Phil Jackson started coaching the team is when they started winning.

Furthermore, it’s funny that Kobe fans make fun of Shaq not winning until he got Kobe because what did Kobe do after Shaq was pushed out?? In 2005, he missed the playoffs. 2006–2007 he got bounced out of the first round. That’s worse than Shaq pre Kobe. Kobe didn’t start winning again until after he got Gasol. So if you gonna hate on Shaq for not winning pre Kobe, what did Kobe do without Shaq and Gasol??