Snoop Dogg has always been one of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ most devoted fans, showing unwavering support for decades.

His passion for the team peaked during Shaquille O’Neal‘s legendary run with the Lakers, and over time, the two stars developed a close friendship.

They’ve expressed mutual admiration over the years, with Snoop even naming Shaq the “biggest athlete rapper.”

However, Shaq‘s latest birthday message to Snoop Dogg may be one of the most unexpected tributes yet, leaving fans thrilled.

In a recent Instagram video, Shaq wished his longtime friend Snoop Dogg a happy birthday with his usual humor.

“Snoop D-O double mother fu**ing G. Happy birthday with your old ass,” Shaq joked, delighting fans.

But it was what Shaq said next that caught everyone’s attention. He credited Snoop for the Lakers’ iconic three-peat, claiming, “Three-peat because of you, baby.” This bold statement left many wondering about the story behind it.

Back in 2002, as the Lakers aimed for their third consecutive NBA championship, Snoop showed immense confidence in his team.

He even recorded a track called “Purp & Yellow” ahead of the Finals to hype up the Lakers.

The Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets, completing their three-peat, and Snoop was right there at Game 4, decked out in Lakers gear.

Reflecting on the moment during the Hulu docuseries Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers, Snoop recalled, “I knew we was going to sweep these m*th*rfckrs.”

That night, Shaq dominated the court with 36 points and 12 rebounds, earning his third straight Finals MVP, while Kobe Bryant also played a pivotal role, averaging 26.8 points.

Together, they created NBA history with Snoop cheering them on every step of the way.

Snoop’s Deep Admiration for Shaq’s Business Ventures

Beyond their shared love of basketball, Snoop Dogg has consistently expressed admiration for Shaquille O’Neal’s success in business.

On an episode of the Impaulsive podcast, Snoop even compared Shaq to Magic Johnson, praising his entrepreneurial success.

“I’m chasing Shaquille O’Neal right now,” Snoop shared, explaining that he admired Shaq‘s business acumen.

“Shaq got so many mthrfckng commercials and businesses, and this is my friend. When I say I’m chasing him, it’s for the right reasons.”

Snoop went on to praise how Shaq seamlessly transitioned from his basketball career to becoming a business mogul.

“I love how he took his basketball career, put it on pause, and took his business,” Snoop said. “You forget he was a basketball player based off of how business-minded he became.”

Recently, Snoop even crowned Shaq the “greatest NBA rapper of all time” after the release of Shaq’s track “3 Locos” with the rap duo, Coyote.

The song quickly became popular online, with one of Coyote’s members, Guapo, praising Shaq‘s impressive lyrical performance: “Shaq went off! He spit like 32 bars. He’s rapping better than 90% of rappers out there.”