Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal had no shortage of awards and other successes throughout his 19-year NBA career.
Between his 15 All-Star selections, four NBA Championships, three Finals MVPs, and the 2000 NBA MVP, it’s safe to say O’Neal made a major impact on the sport.
Since his retirement and transition to an analyst on Inside the NBA, though, O’Neal has faced scrutiny for some of his criticisms of modern NBA players, especially centers.
When Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić won the 2023-24 MVP, his third in four seasons, O’Neal went as far as to tell him to his face that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have won.
This week on Draymond Green’s podcast, O’Neal expanded on his point of view, discussed his personal MVP criteria, and also sought clarification on the NBA’s criteria.
“Gilbert Arenas, on his podcast, was talking about Jokić and saying that when it’s time to get a bucket, the ball goes to Jamal Murray at the end of the game, so how can Jokic be the best player? What do you make about Gilbert Arenas’ statement?” Green asked.
O’Neal first noted that Arenas has the right to say that due to his “G14 classification,” a reference to the Rush Hour movie franchise that he has used for years to describe whether someone has or does not have enough expertise to speak on a subject. Former players almost always have it in O’Neal’s eyes, while media members like Chris Russo specifically do not.
“Joker is really good, and Jamal (Murray) is really good; that’s just the way their team is set up. When it comes to Most Valuable Player, I always thought it meant the baddest m*********** in the league. I don’t give a **** what your record is, where you are in the standings one through eight; MVP is the baddest m*********** in the league. I don’t understand what the classifications are. The best player on the best team? We as players know who the baddest m*********** is.”
Shaq doesn’t think the MVP needs to be the best player on his team, as he doesn’t feel he was ever the best player on his team.
“I’m not better than Penny Hardaway, I’m not better than Kobe Bryant, I’m not better than Dwayne Wade, but I’m the baddest m*********** on the team. I wasn’t better than Alonzo Mourning or Christian Laettner coming out of college but I was the baddest, that’s why I went number one overall. I’m big on G14 classification, so I don’t have a problem with what Gilbert said.”
O’Neal then fired back about the idea that he hates all centers.
“I have a problem with him saying I hate all centers. I don’t hate all centers. I never said anything bad about Joker. I think they thought I was trying to be funny, but I wasn’t. I said, ‘I want you to hear it from me first, Joker, and I’m telling you, you’re my guy, and I love you, but SGA should have won MVP.’ I slowed it down so people could understand it and it still got twisted as ‘Shaq hates all big men.” I don’t hate all big men. I hate all big men who don’t play like ******* big men. That’s what I hate.”
