The devastating news of Kobe Bryant's death has had an emotional ripple effect throughout the basketball community and around the world.
Several tributes have followed since Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were killed in a helicopter accident Sunday in Calabasas, Calif.
MORE: O'Neal reflects on Kobe's death: "He was so much more than an athlete"
Shaquille O'Neal, who joined the Lakers in 1996 and won three championships with Bryant, spoke emotionally about his former teammate during the "NBA on TNT" pregame show Tuesday night.
A clip from Shaq's dialogue can be seen below.
"We live in a world where anything can be photoshopped, anything can be hoaxed. I didn't want to believe it," O'Neal said upon hearing the news.
MORE: 5 best moments from Kobe and Shaq's 2018 TNT interview
Though O'Neal and Bryant were often regarded as one of the best duos in NBA history, their relationship had its rocky moments over the years. O'Neal left the Lakers after the 2003-04 season to join the Heat before finishing out his career with stints in Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston.
O'Neal was present for Bryant's final NBA game in 2016, calling him "the greatest Laker ever."
"People always ask about our relationship, and I tell them it's just like me and Charles (Barkley) — two strong-minded people who are going to get it done their way," O'Neal said.
O'Neal, fighting back tears throughout the candid discussion, ended with a piece of touching advice for himself.
"I'm going to try to do a better job of just reaching out and just talking to people," O'Neal said, "rather than always procrastinating because you just never know."