Throughout the years, Shaquille O’Neal has voiced his critiques of numerous players in the NBA. From catching flak for his comments on modern NBA players such as Donovan Mitchell to his constant criticism of Rudy Gobert, O’Neal puts things as they are. However, in a recent turn of events, he showered Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets with high praise, acknowledging the Serbian player’s impressive and consistent performances following his memorable Game 1 performance.

In Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers, Nikola Jokic showcased his brilliance by scoring 34 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and dishing out 14 assists. He backed that up with another triple-double in the Game 2 win. With the NBA Finals now within reach, Jokic will aim to sustain his exceptional form.

Shaquille O’Neal heaped massive praise on Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic has been one of the best players during this post-season, drawing high acclaim from NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal. The two-time MVP’s performances have been widely recognized for their excellence. O’Neal was asked whether the Joker was deserving of the ‘Superman’ title that is usually associated with the Los Angeles Lakers legend.

O’Neal responded, “I’ll give it to him.” It is surprising considering the fact that Shaq refused to give former Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard his flowers after Howard was being widely touted as the new ‘Superman’. There is significant history between O’Neal and Howard regarding the title.

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When Howard won the slam dunk contest and began referring to himself as ‘Superman’, it created tension between him and the Big Diesel. Shaq argued that Howard had not achieved enough to earn that nickname. For over a decade, O’Neal and the 3x Defensive Player of the Year have been engaged in a dispute over this matter.

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Nikola Jokic may consider himself fortunate that the Lakers legend is ready to acknowledge the monicker. In a recent incident where Shaq mocked Dwight Howard’s debut in Taiwan, the situation escalated to the point where Shaq’s mother had to intervene.

Lucille O’Neal made Shaq apologize to Dwight Howard

Months ago, Dwight Howard made his debut for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 league. O’Neal made sure he didn’t miss the chance and took a jab at Howard for playing in Taiwan. However, Shaq’s mother, Lucille O’Neal, didn’t approve of his actions and insisted that he apologize to the Leopards star. On The Big Podcast, Shaq expressed remorse, stating, “I received a scolding from my mom yesterday for teasing Dwight, so Mr. Dwight Howard, I owe you an apology, and I promise not to hurt your feelings again.”

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Howard isn’t the only one the 4x NBA champion has a beef with. O’Neal has often criticized Rudy Gobert over the years and he took exception to the Minnesota Timberwolves star becoming the highest-paid center in league history. He also called the Frenchman out for his actions during an altercation with Kyle Anderson a few weeks back.

Do you think Nikola Jokic deserves the title of ‘Superman’? Let us know in the comments.