Giannis Antetokounmpo got props from one of the best players in the history of the game, Shaquille O’Neal. Talking about the changes the game has experienced, O’Neal reflected on whether he’d like to play in this NBA, comparing himself to the current MVP due to the dominance they both have on the court.
Talking with Jackie MacMullan and Kirk Goldsberry, Shaq explained how good he’d be in the current NBA.
Via ESPN:
The prospect of being doubled in today’s NBA leaves O’Neal salivating at the opportunity. Give him a chance, Shaq says, and he’d take total command of the key.
Asked what he would do if O’Neal was on his roster, Daryl Morey answers, “I would give him the ball 1,000 times, is my guess. Is he coming? Can I draft him somewhere?”
While Shaquille O’Neal isn’t walking through that door, perhaps we’re focused on the wrong big man.
“I would actually love to play in this NBA,” O’Neal says. “I would bring a little bit more physicality. I would bring my length, I would bring my athletic-ness. So, before you say, ‘Shaq can’t play in this era today,’ I’m already playing.
“My name is Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
That’s quite a compliment for Giannis, who has shown his talents season after season. These types of comparisons make you think how good he’s become in the league and the big future that’s still ahead of him.
Still, it would be interesting to see how Shaq would fare in this NBA and how he would go against players like Giannis.
