Shaquille O’Neal makes a bold statement about Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic

The debate over the NBA’s current best big man has a clear winner, according to Shaquille O’Neal. On a recent Inside the NBA show, the legendary center cut through the endless comparisons and speculation by confidently naming Nikola Jokic like the best big man in the league today.

It’s not an entirely new feeling. But when a diesel posts an opinion like this, everyone should take notice.

Shaquille O’Neal names Nikola Jokic Best Big Man in the NBA

At half time during a A dominant performance by the Denver Nuggets Against the Philadelphia 76ers, O’Neal made a bold proclamation: “Joker, regardless of what’s going on, is by far the big man in the league. Period. Nobody else in the conversation.”

This bold statement carries considerable weight, coming from one of the most respected centers in basketball history.

Jokic’s recent performance certainly backs up O’Neal’s praise. Against the 76ers, he recorded another triple-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in just 30 minutes. Even more remarkable, Jokic didn’t have to play in the fourth quarter, as he had already recorded a triple-double and the Nuggets had a solid lead.

What makes Jokic, according to O’NEAL, according to O’Neal, is his unique skill set.

“He can do both, when he needs to go inside, he can do it. When he needs to go outside, he does that too,” O’Neal said. “He’ll go down as one of the best. He plays the right way. I have a lot of respect for the man.”

After the Nuggets’ win, O’Neal presented Jokic with a custom “Big Averiance” belt, a gesture that drew a rare smile from the usually reserved Serbian player.

Jokic just recorded his 13th triple-double of the season. He firmly established himself at the top of the mvp ladder along with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexandra. Statistically, Jokic is having the best season of his career. He averages a triple-double and draws his three previous MVP seasons.

With each passing season, Jokic redefines what it means to be a great big man in modern basketball. He has shown no signs of slowing down and appears to be well positioned to cement his legacy as one of the greatest big men in NBA history.