Shaq Gifted Kobe Bryant’s Mother Restored Land Cruiser Her Son Owned In High School

The NBA Hall of Famer presented it to her on Kobe Bryant's birthday, Aug. 23.

Shaquille O’Neal gave Kobe Bryant’s mom the 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser that her son owned in high school—fully restored.

Bryant’s former teammate gave the car to Pam Bryant on August 23, what would have been the late NBA legend’s 47th birthday.

According to Japanese Nostalgic Car, the TNT analyst took his request to Effortless Motors, a Riverside, California, customization shop that had previously worked on several automobiles for Shaq.

As a surprise gift for Kobe’s mother, he wanted the shop to bring the vehicle to its original look. Pam Bryant now resides in Las Vegas, where the car sat for years exposed to various natural elements that corroded the decades-old vehicle. Then, there were the Pennsylvania winters the car endured when Bryant was a star at Lower Merion High School, outside of Philadelphia.

NBC Los Angeles spoke to the men responsible for the restoration of the Land Cruiser, Ahmad Abdelrahman and Daniel Ubario, owners of Effortless Motors, about taking on the task.

“Anybody that’s fortunate enough to get to work with Shaquille O’Neal, the number one thing you don’t want to do is let Shaq down, man,” Abdelrahman said.

“It was in a little rough condition,” Ubario said. “The paint, we had to do a fully, fully restore, 360 restore. Interior was a little rough.”

The job was completed to Shaq’s satisfaction, but, more importantly, to Kobe’s mom’s.

“She was extremely thankful and to be there on Kobe’s birthday, and I met her for the first time. It meant a lot to me, too,” Abdelrahman said.

Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, 13, died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Bryant, who retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016, was 41 years old.