Former Lakers Champion Makes Bold Nikola Jokic-Shaq Claim

Nikola Jokic is dominant, but as dominant as Shaq?

May 19, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) defends Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the first half in game seven of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers superstar and NBA Champion Shaquille O'Neal is known as one of the most dominant players in the history of basketball. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has turned into an unstoppable force himself over the last few years, but is he as dominant as Shaq?

Derek Fisher, who won five NBA Championships with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, recently joined the Byron Scott Podcast where he said that Nikola Jokic is as dominant as Shaq but in a completely different way.

"People have no idea how big and strong Shaquille O'Neal was," Fisher said on the Byron Scott Podcast. "It’s not even close to any comparison. As dominant as Nikola Jokic has been, and deserving of the MVPs, the way he dominates the game is obviously extremely different from Shaq." 

"But the concept is the same: you have no matchup for Nikola Jokic, and everybody knows it. Everyone says it. This dude... There is no matchup for this dude, right? That was Shaq. There was no matchup for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. None. There was no matchup for Michael Jordan."

From age 20 to 30, Shaq was probably the most dominant player in NBA history. He averaged 27.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game for the Lakers and Magic.

When looking at his NBA Finals numbers, Shaquille O'Neal had some of the most dominant series in NBA history. For example, during the 2000 NBA Finals, Shaq averaged 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

In the 2023 NBA Finals, Nikola Jokic was dominant in his own way, averaging 30.2 points, 14 rebounds and 7.2 assists while shooting 58 percent from the field.

Related Articles

Nikola Jokic Made Unprecedented History at 2024 Paris Olympics

Kevin Durant Gets Honest About How NBA Players View Nikola Jokic

Russell Westbrook Reacts to Being Snubbed From Viral NBA List