Being a big man in the NBA today means hearing a lot of criticism from the Los Angeles Lakers legend, Shaquille O’Neal. The Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has earned his fair share of comments from the Hall of Famer.
But recently, Shaq was nothing but complimentary to the Nuggets’ big man.
As the Nuggets finished off the 2025-2026 NBA season on a high note, closing out on an 11-game winning streak, O’Neal praised Jokic for the season he had.
“I love the way he’s playing,” Shad said on Inside the NBA. “Listen, this guy will always be in the MVP category. I love the way he’s playing. He’s playing great.”
The Nuggets are entering the NBA Playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed. They picked up a first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While some suggested the Nuggets should’ve avoided the Timberwolves matchup, O’Neal feels differently.
I said earlier—if I’m him—I want that No. 3 spot to play Minnesota in the first round because he always has his way with Rudy Gobert,” Shaq added.
“He’s playing with great energy and not worried about getting hurt. I don’t know if he’s trying to get the MVP, but he’s playing great. If he does win it, congratulations. Great player.”
Where Does Nikola Jokic Stand In The MVP Conversation?
Talking time is over. The voters are casting their picks, and Jokic is likely to end up in the top three once again.
As far as winning the MVP award goes, Jokic might be in trouble.
Anonymous voter polls and player surveys have chosen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the overwhelming favorite. While Denver’s final push could’ve impacted those results, that’s far from a guarantee.
MVP or not, Jokic remains one of the NBA’s top players and has his team as a threatening presence in the conference that was represented well in the NBA Finals during the 2024-2025 season.
Jokic and the Nuggets will begin their postseason run with Game 1 against the Timberwolves on Saturday, April 18.