Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has accumulated 172 points in the last five games that he has played. With two 40-point games and two 30-point games, Jokic left the hosts on ‘Inside the NBA’ enamored with his brilliance. As they discussed the game of the 6’11” star, Shaquille O’Neal posed a question to the panel. He said, “At what part of his career would you start putting him up there with some of the greatest big guys“? This triggered a debate between co-stars Shaq, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. Following this, Shaq highlighted the key factor that separates him from the greatness of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Charles Barkley was in awe of Nikola Jokic. However, he mentioned that players can be great with having to be on the level of the likes of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O’Neal. Subsequently, Kenny Smith brought about the point of being great not just on the offensive end but also defensively. Smith believed that this separated Nikola Jokic and others in this era from those in the past. The Los Angeles Lakers legend disagreed, leading to a debate between the three.

Shaquille O’Neal believes he has the edge

Kenny Smith claimed that the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon were great because they could dominate on both ends of the court with ease, using their size and control. For him, this was a “separating factor” leading to the conclusion that Jokic could not be on top of the list.

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Shaq found himself in a state of surprise and said, “You care about defense”? He waved off Smith’s comment. The Big Diesel understood that being good defensively is important. However, he argued that people don’t remember a player’s defensive abilities in the long run. He said, “People don’t remember me for that. I am not known for my defense. I’m known for busting your a**”. For Shaq, this is what separates him from Abdul-Jabbar and Olajuwon.

Barkley acknowledged Shaq’s comment about not being commended for his defense. He also took the liberty to call Shaq “overrated”. The three-time Finals MVP instantly reminded Barkley that he has four NBA championships.

Shaq’s stats over his long, illustrious career

The Big Diesel and his defensive abilities were undoubtedly very good. He came off as intimidating as his size, which helped him administer blocks powerfully. Over his 19-year NBA career that consisted of 1,207 regular-season games, Shaq averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. However, the common belief is that he lacked the basketball IQ on the defensive end unlike some of the greats such as Hakeem Olajuwon. Additionally, some fans believe that, unlike Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq lacked the control and ease of making steals.

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While the 15-time All-Star’s defensive abilities were perhaps not on par with his offensive game, he continues to be unfazed by this as toward the end of the segment, Shaq yelled, “Defense is overrated kids”.

What do you about Shaq’s comments? Do you think he had an edge over the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.