Despite His Love For Stephen Curry, Shaquille O’Neal ‘Fauns’ Over Luka Doncic’s Certain Individual Accomplishments Eclipsing Warriors Star And More

Advait Jajodia | 11/09/2023
Despite His Love For Stephen Curry, Shaquille O'Neal 'Fauns' Over Luka Doncic's Certain Individual Accomplishments Eclipsing Warriors Star And More

Luka Doncic has established himself as one of the future faces of the league. Despite the Dallas Mavericks’ inability to clinch a Championship over the past few years, Doncic has left the basketball world impressed. In merely the first five seasons as a pro in the NBA, the Slovenian prodigy has received four All-Star and four All-NBA nods. Other than his dominance in the league, Luka’s performance at the international level is also pretty commendable. Sharing a few marvelous achievements of the youngster on his Instagram Stories, Shaquille O’Neal dished out huge praises.

Stephen Curry has captivated numerous fans and personalities over the years. Shaquille O’Neal is among the many who seem to be in awe whenever the Golden State Warriors’ Guard takes on the floor. Apart from even calling himself the “Black Stephen Curry”,  Shaq has referred to the two-time MVP as his favorite player on several occasions.

Shaquille O’Neal shares a few feats Luka Doncic has achieved

Ever since Luka Doncic has been leading the Slovenian national team, the country has reached new heights. Earlier in 2021, the country made a run to the Olympic Games semifinals – a feat they’ve never achieved before. Now, merely a few days back, the 6ft 7” Guard led the national team to their highest overall finish at the FIBA World Cup – 7th position.

During the campaign, Doncic averaged 25/8.8/7.3. Getting selected in the All-Star Five, the 24-year-old became the first player in the last 30 years to record 200+ points, 50+ rebounds, and 40+ assists in a single tournament run.

Shaq also highlighted Doncic’s incredible individual success in the NBA. Having made four All-NBA First Team selections, the 2019 Rookie of the Year already matched Stephen Curry, and Dirk Nowitzki, among others, and surpassed a few legends such as Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, and Isiah Thomas.

Luka has certainly established himself as one of the top players in the world. However, his individual success has not yet translated into Championship wins for the Dallas Mavericks. Apart from a few early postseason exits, the team came close in 2022, advancing to as far as the Western Conference Finals.

Shaq is also in awe of Doncic’s contract

Every year the value of a maximum contract keeps increasing drastically. This summer Jaylen Brown signed the richest deal in NBA history – a $304 million contract. According to a few insiders, Doncic could become the first player to sign a supermax deal that could earn him $80 million per year. Constantly in awe of the Guard’s achievement, Shaq shared some information regarding his upcoming contract on Instagram.

As of now, Luka Doncic is in the midst of a five-year, $215.16 million rookie contract extension that he signed in 2021. By 2026, it could be plausible that a player of Luka’s caliber will be rewarded with an $80 million per year deal.

Post Edited By: Hitesh Nigam
Luka Doncic Shaquille O'Neal

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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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