National Basketball Association

Shaq wishes he had a farewell tour like Kobe is getting

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:33 p.m. ET

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TORONTO (AP) Shaquille O'Neal says he wishes he could have had a farewell tour at the end of his career similar to the one former teammate Kobe Bryant is enjoying now.

O'Neal held court in Toronto before TNT's popular ''Inside The NBA'' television show Thursday night as the NBA prepared to kick of its All-Star weekend. He reminisced about his time with Bryant, the Lakers star who is retiring at the end of the season.

O'Neal was forced to retire in 2011 at the age of 37 after tearing his Achilles. He says he would have enjoyed being able to say goodbye to the fans and teams in each city, but he wasn't healthy enough to play the one more season he planned on.

Bryant was voted a starter for the West team on Sunday.