Shaquille O'Neal approves Jason Kidd's claim of Luka Doncic belonging in Michael Jordan's stratosphere

Since becoming an analyst, Shaquille O'Neal has been known to be tough on the new generation of stars. However, he recently backed up a bold statement regarding one of the NBA's top guards.

Earlier this week, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was asked about the skill level of Luka Doncic. The Hall of Fame point guard already counts him better than franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki, and feels Doncic should be in the conversation with Michael Jordan.

Many thought this was a bold take from Kidd, but Shaquille O'Neal appears to be in his corner. He posted the same graphic on his Instagram story, giving the impression he agrees with the statement.

Since entering the NBA in 2018, Doncic has shown superstar potential. He's received All-Star and All-NBA honors in four of his first five seasons. This year, he finds himself in the MVP discussion. The 24-year-old is currently averaging 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.6 assists.

Led by Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks find themselves in seventh place of the Western Conference with a 26-21 record.

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Shaquille O'Neal has given Luka Doncic high praise in the past

Backing up Jason Kidd's remark is not the first time Shaquille O'Neal has expressed his thoughts on Luka Doncic. The Hall of Fame center praised him last year for continuing to perform under a large amount of pressure.

Before the Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving last year, Doncic was the sole force that the entire offense revolved around.

As the top scorer and facilitator, everything was created through him. Since Doncic was the driving force, the Mavs' success on a nightly basis solely relied on his ability to play at an elite level.

While on "Inside the NBA," Shaquille O'Neal touched on the pressure Doncic faces as the main piece of Dallas' offense. He also applauded him for continuing to thrive under this pressure.

"The tremendous amount of pressure on this kid. He has to create for others, creater for himself and he has to make all the plays," Shaq said. "This kid has to do everything for his team to be successful...Great player, MVP candidate."

Even with Irving on the roster now, Doncic still carries most of the offensive load for the Mavericks. His 35.9 usage rate is currently the second-highest in the NBA. Only Joel Embiid (38.6) sits above him in this category.

Doncic has proven to be one of the top young superstars in the game today, but Kidd and Shaq might need to pump the breaks. While he has the potential to go down in history with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, he is not there yet. For him to enter that conversation, he'll need to get the Mavericks over the hump in the postseason.