LOS ANGELES, Oct 5 (AFP) - Kobe Bryant says he is looking forward to the challenge of restoring peace and harmony back in Los Angeles' locker room as the Lakers opened their training camp on Monday.
"This is my team to lead," said Bryant, who was speaking publicly for the first time since sexual assault charges against him were dropped last month.
The Lakers suffered a disappointing playoff defeat to the Detroit Pistons last season and then purged popular coach Phil Jackson.
Dissent in the dressing room resulted in a rift between Bryant and supporters of team leader O'Neal and it escalated after management sided with Bryant and sent the giant centre packing to Miami Heat.
O'Neal and Bryant have traded insults since and the war of words ramped up last week when O'Neal called Bryant a "clown" and said "I'm not the one buying love".
Bryant, who still has a civil case pending against him from his accuser, tried to take the high road on Monday when asked about O'Neal.
"I am not verbal sparring at all," Bryant told the Los Angeles Times on Monday. "Things are what they are. My focus is on this team.
"We (Shaq and Kobe) had eight good years together. We moved on our separate ways. I wish him all the best."
O'Neal on Monday laughed off comments Bryant made to Colorado police during his arrest last year. Bryant told police O'Neal paid one million dollars in hush money to various women he had sex with.
"It is not disappointing to me," O'Neal told the newspaper. "You sit back and look at everything that has been going on and it is actually funny."
Asked if he regretted that it didn't work out between him and Bryant, O'Neal said, "No. Not at all."
O'Neal reported to training camp lighter than last year at 152 kilograms (335 pounds).
"No weights this summer all cardio," O'Neal said. "Got down to 335 and hopefully by the end of training camp 325."
O'Neal downplayed the important of a Christmas Day game between Miami and the Lakers in Los Angeles.
"Believe it or not it is just going to be a regular game to me because I have more important things to do on that day," O'Neal said.
O'Neal, who has starred in three movies, plans to spend Christmas morning playing Santa Claus in the crime-plagued, drug infested south Los Angeles suburbs.
"I have to take care of 5,000 to 10,000 kids," O'Neal said. "I am going to the 'hood like I always do and pass out toys.
"Good toys, not just little bags. I'm talking Sega, bikes, scooters, computers, clothes and sneakers.
"I am going to bring snow to the neighbourhood as I have always done, then I'll just go play a game."