Shaquille O’Neal was lavish in his praise of Nikola Jokic as he welcomed the Denver Nuggets superstar to the pantheon of greatest big men in NBA history.
Taking to Instagram after the Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals, Shaq posted an image of the eight greatest centers in the league history, with Jokic included, and captioned it: “welcome to@the #bigmanalliance JOKER”
Jokic was instrumental in the Nuggets in the playoffs averaging 30.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, and 9.5 APG over 20 games. It ended with the team and the two-time MVP winning their maiden title. Rightfully named as the 2023 NBA Finals MVP, Jokic also had 600 points, 269 rebounds, and 190 assists.
At 28, the Serbian has already won one NBA Championship, one NBA Finals MVP, and two regular-season MVP awards, among other achievements, making it clear why Shaq had him on the list of the greatest centers in NBA history.
Nikola Jokic Admits He Patterned His Game After Shaquille O’Neal
Earlier, Jokic and Shaq shared a wholesome, yet fun moment where the former admitted that he patterned his game after the former NBA champions. Soon after Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he was asked by Grant Hill about how he modeled his game on.
Grant Hill: “Growing up overseas, who were the guys that you wanted to pattern your game after?”
Nikola Jokic: “I think it’s Shaq.”
Shaquille O’Neal: “Means a lot. Thank you, brother.”
It may have been quite jovial, but there is no doubt that they have contrasting approaches to their game. While Shaq was prolific as an athlete with his incredible size and skill, Jokic was more of a versatile guard/center whose playmaking has been a factor behind the Nuggets’ title run.
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