Based on Kobe's recollections, Shaquille O'Neal is betting on Trae Young to achieve glory for Atlanta on one condition

The great Aristotle always had a special bond with his former teammate Kobe Bryant. Despite their differences over the years, the two managed to reconcile. The dynamic duo was what the Lakers needed. Reflecting on Hawks star Trae Young's current struggles, O'Neal shared how he and Kobe made it work for the Lakers. He gave Young some valuable advice.

On the latest episode of his show, the four-time NBA champion expressed his confidence in Young. He was even confident in betting that the Hawks would go at least 10th overall. Shaq warned against underestimating Young, emphasizing that the star has the power to lead the team and keep it in playoff contention.

“They’re not that bad when they get under 10, so it depends on the matchup. So 10 plays or whatever, 10 plays 7 or 8, they want Trae to never be counted out because when he heats up, he can carry it. But can he finish fifth, sixth and seventh for an entire season on his own? No, that's not disrespecting Trae. O'Neal said while discussing the condition.

However, Shaq also gave the Hawks organization crucial advice. Shaquille O'Neal hinted that Trae Young would benefit greatly from having another star alongside him. It should be someone who is willing to shoot and communicate the scoring load. He remembered how Kobe Bryant consistently capitalized on his own shot opportunities, even when O'Neal was in the lead.

“He (Trae) needs help. He needs another respectful athlete on the team. What I mean by a respectful athlete, Trae, it's your team, but I'm also trying to achieve my goals. “That’s what Kobe was like for me,” said O'Neal.

O'Neal believed that DeJounte Murray could have been that player for the Hawks, but he was recently traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and once again left the Hawks in search of a strong complement to Young.

The Atlanta Hawks lost to the Washington Wizards

That being said, there is still a lot the Hawks need to focus on. An important area is defense. The team did not show a strong defensive performance last season. As a result, the team had to improve. Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher were the key additions to the team who wanted to make a difference.

However, the team had difficulty defending the three-point shot in the games against the Washington Wizards. The Wizards shot 48% and 42% from three in the first two games. The Atlanta Hawks' two best defenders, Daniels and De'Andre Hunter, were missing. Young was exceptional, scoring an explosive 35 points to lead the Hawks. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough for the Hawks to stop the Wizards.

The Washington Wizards ultimately defeated the Hawks 133-120 after winning the first game. The Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly was the show-stealer, scoring a career-high 27 points while displaying strong defense to lead his team. Young and the Hawks may need another star player to fill the void the Los Angeles Lakers legend mentioned.