Nikola Jokic’s exceptional performance in the post-season led the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever championship, solidifying his status as one of the greatest players of all time. Shaquille O’Neal is a legendary player himself. He welcomed Jokic to the “big man alliance” after he was named the Finals MVP.
Shaq even went on to declare Jokic as a better center than Joel Embiid, making him the best in the NBA. It seems that the praises for the Serbian big man are still pouring in from the Lakers legend.
Is Jokic The Superior Player?
Jokic missed out on winning his third consecutive MVP award, which was given to Joel Embiid. However, his dominance in the post-season was undeniable. Jokic outperformed Embiid in almost every statistical category, except for blocks per game in the playoffs. Considering Jokic played 11 more games than Embiid, many people in the NBA think that Jokic is the superior player.
Shaquille O’Neal agrees with NBA analyst Nick Wright’s views on Nikola Jokic being an all-time great. Wright placed Jokic among the 10 greatest players since the turn of the century. Also, Shaq spoke about his agreement with that sentiment. Shaq even shared the story on his Instagram.
Jokic’s Performance
During the regular season, Jokic averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. Furthermore, he had an astonishing efficiency rating of 124.2. These remarkable numbers pushed the Nuggets to secure the top spot in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
Embiid’s Performance
On the other hand, Embiid had an outstanding individual year on both ends of the floor. He led the league in scoring with an average of 33.1 points per game and contributed 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1 steal per game.
At the time no one considered Embiid winning the 2023 MVP over Jokic to be absurd, considering his impressive performances. However, as the months went by, it became clear that Jokic would achieve much more than Embiid. This also meant he would win the NBA championship.
The Big Man Alliance
In recognition of Jokic’s greatness, Shaquille O’Neal honored him by bringing him into his “Big Man Alliance”. The “Big Man Alliance” is an exclusive group that includes Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Shaq himself.
Joel Embiid may have won the MVP award over Jokic, but he missed out on many other feats. Needless to say, Embiid wanted to win the NBA championship and be a part of Shaq’s alliance over the MVP award.
Conclusion
The consensus within the NBA community, including the agreement of Shaquille O’Neal, is that Nikola Jokic’s outstanding performances have pushed him to the status of an all-time great. His skills and mark on the game have firmly established his place among the legends of the sport.
Also read: Joel Embiid Crowned 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player
