Patrick Mahomes surprisingly snubs Mavs legend in favor of Shaquille O’Neal

As the NBA’s 2025–2026 season kicked off, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took part in a fun NBA-themed “this or that.” The segment showcased the star quarterback’s admiration for Shaquille O’Neal.

The game started with a choice between O’Neal and Nikola Jokic. Mahomes didn’t hesitate, immediately picking “prime Shaq.” He selected Shaq again, this time over Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Then came a surprise. Even though Mahomes has always been a long-time Dallas Mavericks fan, he still chose Shaq over Dirk Nowitzki.

“I’m still taking prime Shaq, unfortunately, as a Mavs fan,” Mahomes said.

The video got more interesting as the segment went on. Mahomes finally moved away from Shaq, choosing Kevin Durant due to his longevity. He then picked Stephen Curry over Durant, explaining it was because of the former’s championships. After that, he went with Kobe Bryant over Curry, and then LeBron James over Bryant.

Finally, when the choice came down to LeBron James and Michael Jordan, Mahomes decided not to take sides in the long-standing GOAT debate. He laughed and said he had “no comments,” carefully avoiding any controversy.

Patrick Mahomes previously gave his take on the Michael Jordan-LeBron James GOAT debate

Patrick Mahomes has often been put in tricky situations where people ask him to choose a side in the GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Usually, he manages to stay neutral.

But during an appearance on FS1’s First Things First in 2023, Mahomes actually answered. It wasn’t as simple as picking one player over the other, though. He explained that his choice depends on the situation.

“Man, that’s a tough one,” Mahomes said. “My dad used to have me like watching documentaries on DVDs of Michael Jordan, like classic games. So, I’d say if I had one game, I would take Michael Jordan, or one series. But, I would say for a full, entire season, I gotta go with LeBron because he can do a little bit of everything.”

Patrick Mahomes has always spoken highly of both Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

However, he seems to have a closer personal connection with LeBron. Both are active superstars at the peak of their respective sports, often attending each other’s games, supporting one another publicly, and meeting at major events.