Shaquille O’Neal is regarded as one of the best analysts in the industry, but from time to time, the big man stirs up controversy with some of his hot takes. As TNT Tuesday made its return, O’Neal made yet another bold claim by revealing to pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Luka Doncic, keeping their current form in mind. While the remainder of the panel was taken aback, NBA Twitter decided to bash the Los Angeles Lakers legend for displaying his faith in the Oklahoma City Thunder star.
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Before the Oklahoma City Thunder-Los Angeles Clippers contest, the TNT Tuesday panel spoke about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being an extremely talented player. Jamal Crawford and Candace Parker even drew comparisons between SGA and Luka Doncic. This is when the Big Aristotle showered the Shai with lofty praises by disclosing to pick him over the Dallas Mavericks superstar.
“I’m gonna have to take [Gilgeous-Alexander]. This kid, he plays the right way, gets his teammates involved… He’s definitely emerged as one of my favorite players to watch. Because I like stories like this, guys that come out of nowhere and then they’re a force to be reckoned with. He’s a hell of a player right now,” Shaq said.
Such a strong opinion was certainly going to garner reactions from NBA Twitter. As soon as the video went viral on social media, fans started berating the NBA on TNT analyst.
A Dallas Mavericks fan account, @All_Things_Mavs, tried refuting Shaq’s point of Shai getting his teammates involved by deep-diving into some stats. To prove that Doncic was a better player, the X (formerly “Twitter”) user revealed how the Slovenian sensation recorded 70 more assists in four fewer games than SGA.
Not all fans were berating Shaq. A few supporters of Gilgeous-Alexander backed and appreciated the analyst for giving the star guard the recognition that he deserved.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly a generational talent. However, it is difficult to pick so easily between him and a player like Doncic. While SGA might be performing at an elite level, Luka’s stats are simply better. Apart from recording more points than the former Kentucky Wildcat, Doncic is also averaging almost three assists more.
In terms of finding an open teammate, Luka has mastered the art of spacing the floor. From as early as his rookie season, the Mavs leader was great in penetrating the defense and getting the rock to an open teammate. Over the years, Luka has managed to further improve upon this ability and is, undoubtedly, the best in the NBA to do so.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are in MVP discussions
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are two of the best guards in the league. Both players have been putting up some unbelievable stats while also managing to lead their respective franchises to an impressive record.
Luka has been averaging 33.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game. To be fair, the 6ft 7” star’s numbers are quite similar to the stats he lodged in the previous campaign. However, the only difference in this campaign, Luka has figured out a way to help his team win more games. With a 24-17 record, the Texas side is #6 in the West, merely two games behind the #4 Los Angeles Clippers.
Whereas, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also having a career-best season. Lodging 31.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, the shifty guard has been the best player on the improved Oklahoma City Thunder. While the likes of Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren have had a huge impact, SGA’s dominance is the main reason behind the franchise placing second in the conference with a 27-12 record.
Both international superstars have established themselves in the top five list for MVP discussions. As per the latest MVP ladder, SGA is #3 on the list only trailing Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. Whereas, Doncic trails at #4.
In all probabilities, fans would get to witness a Luka Doncic-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander backcourt pairing as the Western Conference starters for the 2024 All-Star Game.
