Shaquille O’Neal spoke recently with Nick Wright, who asked him what Nikola Jokic needed to do in order to break into the list of top 5 centers of all time. Shaq responded by saying that he doesn’t think he belongs on that list, and that Jokic is on his all-time top 5 centers list, but would need another two championships to cement himself objectively.
“I wouldn’t put myself in there. But, people judge talent in many ways. Stats of course is one of them, championships are one of them. He has one. I think if he gets up in the three-championship realm, he’ll definitely be on that list. He’s on that list for me, I wouldn’t put myself on that list. You always gotta count the guys who made me who I am. Kareem, Mr. Chamberlain, and Mr. Russell.”
Shaquille O’Neal thinks very highly of Nikola Jokic to include him in his all-time top 5 centers list. Jokic, who has accomplished a lot in his NBA career so far, and still has the opportunity to do more, has played a big part in redefining the role of a big man in the modern NBA, with his elite scoring and playmaking creating the blueprint for the new prototypical NBA big.
Jokic entered the NBA in 2015, within almost a decade, he has won an NBA championship and Finals MVP, three regular-season MVPs, and earned 6 All-Star and All-NBA selections. The fact that he has achieved this level of success before he has turned 30 is truly remarkable.
Jokic still has time to add to his list of accolades and could end his career as one of the greatest centers of all time, and the standout center of his generation.
As for O’Neal, while he might not consider himself a top 5 center of all time, we here at Fadeaway World disagree, having used a special formula, that ranked him as the third-greatest center of all time, right behind Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Jokic Continuing To Defy Expectations
Despite being one of the best players in the NBA and setting numerous records with his performances over the last few years, Nikola Jokic hasn’t slowed down. In fact, he is playing some of the best basketball we have ever seen from a big man in NBA history right now.
Nikola Jokic is currently averaging a triple-double with 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 11.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. In fact, so far this season, Jokic is averaging better numbers than Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Chris Paul’s respective career-highs.
Jokic has very quickly inserted himself into the conversation of the all-time great NBA players, and might even climb up the rankings in the years to come.
He has already impressed one notable figure, as former Nuggets head coach George Karl recently revealed that Nikola Jokic has entered his all-time top 10 players list. Perhaps he will be on even more lists by the time he hangs up his boots.
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