Shaquille O'Neal's Son, Shareef, Sees Kobe Bryant's No. 8 In The Clouds

Shareef O'Neal took it as a sign.

When he looked at the sky, the clouds had morphed into the shape of the No. 8

Kobe Bryant, a five-time champion with the Lakers who died in a helicopter crash Jan. 26, wore a No. 8 jersey.

"I can’t believe I saw this today ❤️," Shareef wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "It sent chills through my body .. it might be a stretch to some but I see it clear as day .. even the same font ! Wow , so amazing #8 🕊🐍 WE MISS YOU."

Shareef's father, Shaquille, and Bryant played together on the Lakers for eight seasons from 1996-2004, winning three-straight championships from 2000-2002.

They had a contentious relationship at the time, but Shaquille said they always had a deep well of respect for one another.

After Bryant died, Shaquille choked back tears on national television, calling him his brother. And he spoke at his public memorial at Staples Center on Feb. 24, describing how they brought out the best in one another.

"Not unlike another leadership duo, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, whose creative rivalry led to some of the greatest music of all time, Kobe and I pushed one another to play some of the greatest basketball of all time," Shaquille said.

Bryant maintained a close relationship with Shaquille's family.

The day of the helicopter crash, Bryant texted Shareef to check in on him, writing, "You good fam?"

Shareef uses that message as inspiration.

“My phone background is just literally that message and I look at it every day because it just motivates me,” Shareef told Bleacher Report in April.

Shareef opens up to @brhoops about receiving one of Kobe's last text messages and how Kobe's death impacted him: “My phone background is just literally that message and I look at it every day because ... it just motivates me.” pic.twitter.com/xQPoWCRPqs
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 8, 2020