"Better than the manchild" - NBA fans react to Nikola Jokic possibly surpassing Shaquille O'Neal in all time rankings

Throughout his NBA career, Nikola Jokic has showcased an incredibly well-rounded offensive skillset while proving his ability as a point center. In addition to his three MVP awards and NBA Finals MVP award, Jokic also holds several NBA records, such as becoming the fastest player to reach 15,000 points, 7,500 rebounds and 5,000 assists.

The way some fans see things, if Jokic continues to dominate the way he has, it might be time to discuss his place among the NBA's all-time greats, specifically, Shaquille O'Neal.

In a post on Reddit on Saturday, one fan raised the issue, stating that it's time to talk about Jokic being better than Shaq, and higher than the four-time champ on the NBA's all-time list.

While O'Neal has more championships, Finals MVP awards, scoring titles, and All-NBA nods, Jokic has two more regular-season MVPs and could be on his way to surpassing Shaq on the NBA's all-time points and rebounds ladder, although it's a tall task.

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In response to the idea, fans were quick to weigh in, with some mixed reactions.

Others, however, disagreed, accusing the original poster of using the topic as bait:

"I was the worst player on the court," - Nikola Jokic pulls no punches while summarizing his Game 3 performance

While some fans may be ready to debate Nikola Jokic's place on the NBA's all-time list, the three-time MVP is still in the midst of his career, and is currently in the midst of a closely-contested series with the OKC Thunder.

After a big win on the road in Game 1, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets were blown out by the Thunder in Game 2 on Wednesday, sending the series to Denver all tied up 1-1.

Then, in Game 3 on Friday, the two sides battled it in another closely contested game that saw Denver secure a 113-104 win in overtime.

While the Nuggets now lead the series 2-1, Nikola Jokic didn't mince words when discussing his performance. While speaking with members of the press, Jokic spoke candidly about his play, stating that he was the worst player on the court for Denver.

"Basically, I was the worst player on the court today. But we won the game. And that's most important."

Despite going 0-10 from beyond the arc, and just 8-25 from the floor, Jokic logged a 20-point, 16-rebound double-double, along with two blocks and two steals.

Following Game 3 on Friday, the two teams will be back in action again on Sunday for Game 4.

About the author

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.