(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Not so long ago, NBA pundits and fans thought the big man was a dying breed.
Now, we’ve seen centers win MVP four times in as many seasons.
Notably, Nikola Jokic has three of those awards, and some believe he should’ve won all of them.
That’s not the case with Shaquille O’Neal, though.
The legendary big man believes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should’ve been this season’s MVP.
That’s why right after congratulating the Denver Nuggets’ big, Shaq made sure to let Jokic know his thoughts on the matter (via Awful Announcing & Hoop Central).
Shaq to Jokic:
“You know I love you. You’re the best player in the league. I want to congratulate you. But I want you to hear it from me first; I thought that SGA should have been the MVP; that’s no disrespect to you.”
(h/t @awfulannouncing)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 8, 2024
Needless to say, it didn’t take long before the fans ripped Shaq for this, as there was no need to tell him that right after he won the award.
Bro shaq is such a hater. Afraid of another big being better than him
— NoahMuse (@JoakimMuse) May 8, 2024
This is blatant hating by Shaq
— NBA Expert. (@WhatSeperatesU) May 8, 2024
Shaq has been on this Jokic hate train for the majority of this season once it started to feel possible that Jokic could win a third MVP.
— Jeremy Nicolls (@JeremyNicolls) May 8, 2024
Shaq salty he’s gonna be replaced by Jokic soon as president of the big man association
— crazy videos (@crazyhoodvids) May 8, 2024
Then again, that’s just the way Shaq handles himself.
He did say that Jokic was the best player on Earth and gave him some love, so it’s not like he was hating just for the sake of it.
Also, Jokic didn’t take it personally; he laughed and said that he wouldn’t judge him because everybody was entitled to their own opinion.
At the end of the day, these awards are mostly subjective, and Shaq has every right to believe Shai should’ve won it.
Perhaps that wasn’t the best way to approach it or the most polite, but Shaq’s unapologetic nature and larger-than-life persona have also helped him become the worldwide phenom he is.
Some will love him, some will hate him, but Shaquille O’Neal is never going to change his ways.
The post Fans Can’t Believe What Shaq Said To Nikola Jokic After Winning MVP appeared first on The Cold Wire.