Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is viewed as the best player and center in the NBA right now.
In fact, many have started to view Nikola Jokic as one of the best centers of all time after the Joker led the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 NBA Championship.
For what it’s worth, Jokic has impacted the game of basketball like no other center in the modern era. After all, he can impact the game with his scoring, rebounding, and playmaking.
But what if Jokic had to face off against NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in a hypothetical matchup? Well, Shaq seems to know the answer of how that matchup would go.
Shaquille O’Neal on how he’d dominate against Nikola Jokic
When it’s all said and done, Jokic will probably sit on the all-time best centers table with Shaq, but the two stars have very different playing styles.
O’Neal was a force to be reckoned with in the paint. On the other hand, Jokic can nail deep three-pointers and incredible circus shots on the floor.
Despite having a much wider array of skills, O’Neal recently explained how he’d counter Jokic in a hypothetical matchup on The Big Podcast.
“I would love to play now. Let me tell you why. Every time Joker shot a three, I would run right past him and post up in the middle lane, and play my game,” O’Neal said.
He added: “I’m not going to shoot a three, and I’m not going to do a whole bunch of pick and roll.”
Now, that’s one way to counter Jokic’s three-point ability, but the Big Aristotle took things one step further.
Shaquille O’Neal on the only time he would shoot a three-point shot
In the era in which O’Neal played, centers hardly used to shoot from deep. That’s evident from Diesel’s career three-point shooting average of 4.5%.
Despite that, O’Neal did present a scenario for when he’ll attempt a three-pointer.
“I’m not changing my game. The only way I’m gonna shoot a three is if we’re up 10-15 points,” O’Neal stated.
The 4x NBA champion also revealed why Jokic would be in ‘trouble’ if he missed even a single shot.
“I’m gonna try to defend, and Joker, as great as he is, you miss, your a__ in trouble because now you’re gonna have to sprint back and they’re gonna focus on me, I’m gonna get doubled, I’m gonna kick it to Melo. I’m gonna kick it to T-Mac,” O’Neal stated.
In this scenario, Shaq is teammates with the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady, who are regarded as two of the best scorers of all time.
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