“I’m really close to his mom” - Shaquille O’Neal honors Kobe Bryant’s legacy with $9000 restoration gift for Pam Bryant

Los Angeles has seen many emotional events since the terrible death of Kobe Bryant in January 2020. Friends, teammates, and followers honor the deceased NBA star every year in different ways. This week, one of Bryant’s closest teammates, Shaquille O’Neal, chose a very personal gesture.

His act, revealed during the celebration of Kobe’s birthday and “8/24 Day,” quickly caught the attention of both fans and media outlets.

Shaquille O’Neal surprises Pam Bryant with restored car on 8/24 Day

On Saturday, August 24, Shaquille O’Neal presented Pam Bryant, the mother of Kobe Bryant, with a restored 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser. The vehicle had been part of the Bryant family for decades and was once driven by Kobe during his high school days in Pennsylvania.

Shaquille O’Neal arranged the project through Effortless Motors, a Los Angeles-based shop that has previously worked on his personal cars.

According to Anthony Hall, a close friend of Shaq, the NBA legend noticed the Land Cruiser sitting in front of Pam’s house months earlier and asked about it. Pam explained that the car belonged to Kobe and had not been touched in years.The restoration was valued at nearly $9,000, based on Kelly Blue Book estimates for similar models in good condition. The final amount paid was never released to the public, but it is affirmed that Shaq himself paid for it.

The gift was meant to commemorate Kobe’s August 23 birthday and the citywide 8/24 Day that pays tribute to his legacy.

How Shaquille O’Neal stays connected with Kobe Bryant’s family

Shaquille O’Neal opened up about his bond with Pam Bryant earlier this year during an appearance on the Off The Record podcast. Speaking in July 2025, he said, “I’m really close to his mom now. We talk all the time. I just call her to check on her, see if she needs anything. Flowers. ‘Love you.’ ‘Miss you.’ Stuff like that.”Shaq explained that after Kobe’s death, he felt it was important to remain close to Pam as a way of showing respect and care. His small but consistent gestures, phone calls, flowers, and now the car restoration - highlight how deeply he values the Bryant family.Despite past rumors of tension between Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant during their Lakers years, Shaq has repeatedly stated that their relationship was built on respect.

“We had a highly respectable relationship. Drama sells. A lot of people think it was something else, but it wasn’t,” Shaq once told Marca.Also Read:'I’m thrilled' - Magic Johnson celebrates Terry McLaurin signing $96 million Washington Commanders dealChoosing the car restoration as a tribute shows how Shaq uses personal memories to keep Kobe’s spirit alive. By reviving a vehicle once tied to Bryant’s youth, he offered Pam both a gift and a reminder of her son’s early journey toward greatness.