Shaquille O’Neal On The Dallas Mavericks: “They Need A Guy That’s Just As Good As Luka Doncic But A Little Bit Better. Like A Bradley Beal Or Russell Westbrook.”

Feb 5, 2021

2 Min Read

Regardless of how flawed Luka Doncic is, there is no doubt that he is one of the best young players in the game. With an exceptional talent at scoring and making plays, he has emerged as the new face for the Dallas Mavericks in this post-Dirk Nowitzki era.

And while he’s easily a top-10 player to many fans today, it turns out that not everybody sees him as a transcendent superstar.

In a segment on “Inside The NBA,” NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal said the Mavs need someone “better” than Doncic, someone like Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal…

"They need a guy that’s just as good as Luka but a little bit better…like a Bradley Beal or Russell Westbrook."

– Shaq on the Mavericks pic.twitter.com/KNarMISlq5

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2021

Obviously, Doncic still has a ways to go before he can be put in the same breath as some of the other elites. On things like defense and leadership, there is room for growth and it’s unlikely the Mavs will win until he improves in those areas.

But to say he’s not better than Beal and Westbrook, even at this point, is a super hot take. In just a little over two seasons in the NBA, he is seeing averages of 25 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game on 46.1% shooting.

In the comments, fans reacted about as extreme as you’d expect…

https://twitter.com/SuperStarRayy/status/1357490485871456258

Did he just say Westbrook is better than Luka??

— Jose (@BullsFanJose) February 5, 2021

Like russel Westbrook pic.twitter.com/j4qVKbb2f2

— Site (@YoSitee) February 5, 2021

westbrook?💀💀💀💀

— 𝙆𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙩 💫 (@netsgotnexxt) February 5, 2021

None of those guys are better than Luka lol

— Jacob Awada, PT, DPT (@AwadaJacob) February 5, 2021

https://twitter.com/biasedkyriefan/status/1357490540846215171 https://twitter.com/wonder1369/status/1357497078528675840

Did he say a little bit better pic.twitter.com/uS5OPIOJwX

— Dr.Mike honcho ( Why yes I am brown and proud) (@Jessed4D) February 5, 2021

There were some that agreed with O’Neal but, all in all, it’s a pretty bold opinion.

Then again, if the Mavericks continue to lose games at their current pace, we might have to re-assess where Doncic lies on the NBA’s player hierarchy.

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ByNico Martinez

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media.