“Nikola Jokic Is on That List for Me”: Shaquille O’Neal Classifies Nuggets Big as One of HIs Top-5 Centers All-Time

Nikola Jokic was inducted into Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘Big Man Alliance’ after he carried the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA championship in 2023. But this year, Diesel promoted the Joker to an even more prestigious list.

Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes recently hosted O’Neal on ‘First Things First‘, discussing the early 2024-25 season and Shaq’s favorite players. During their conversation, Wright prodded the four-time NBA champion to reveal his list of the 5 greatest centers of all time.

The Fox Sports analyst shared that, alongside Shaq, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Hakeem Olajuwon were undeniable selections for the NBA’s all-time centers list. Wright asked O’Neal what Jokic would have to accomplish to dethrone one of those names.

“I wouldn’t put myself in there,” the 2000 NBA MVP humbly began. “But, you know, people judge talent in many ways. Stats, of course, is one of them. Championships is one of them. He [Jokic] has one. I think if he gets up in that three championships realm, he’ll definitely be on the list. He’s on that list for me,” Shaq shared.

The three names O’Neal would never take off would be Russell, Chamberlain, and Abdul-Jabbar because they made him who he is. At the same time, he added that he added Olajuwon to the list because it was losing to him in the NBA Finals that taught O’Neal about what it takes to be a champion.

However, Big Diesel doesn’t mind taking himself off the list if that means Jokic can get on.

Shaquille O’Neal has given Nikola Jokic his flowers already

When fans think about a once-in-a-lifetime player, attributes like athleticism (Zion Williamson) or stature (Victor Wembanyama) often come to mind. But with durability as his most physically imposing quality, Jokic has proven himself to be a generational talent.

Shaq was one of the first media personalities to openly recognize and validate the three-time MVP’s unparalleled dominance. Though he criticized the Joker’s 2024 MVP win and favored Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over the Nuggets’ star, O’Neal has remained firm in his position that Jokic is the league’s best big – if not the best player.

Two years ago, he gave the Serbian center the nod over his contemporary Joel Embiid, inducting Jokic into the ‘Big Man Alliance’, O’Neal’s take on the league’s greatest centers.

Shaq added how Joel would have to win an NBA championship to earn the same consideration and in his conversation with Nick Wright, it became clear that even without any more rings, O’Neal would rank Nikola as a top 5 center in NBA history. It’s hard to argue with that placement given how Jokic has played this season.

The Joker is currently averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists while making 56.4% of his three-pointers through 10 games. He has somehow elevated his game to another level, carrying Denver on their 5-game win streak and making himself the favorite to win a fourth MVP award in five seasons.