Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: Shaquille ONeal, NBA, LA Lakers
Josh Lawless
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is facing backlash after being corrected by a presenter for a comment he made on air about Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.
The four-time NBA champion is a regular pundit on TNT Sports' coverage of basketball and known for his strong opinions and off the cuff remarks.
And Shaq caused a stir on Tuesday night in his latest 'NBA on TNT' appearance when asked about how he would fare in his prime against Jokic, after he broke a number of records against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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Despite being on the losing side, Jokic scored 61 points - the most by a single player in the NBA this season. The Joker, who also had ten rebounds and ten assists, became the first player since the legendary Michael Jordan to have more than 60 points and play more than 50 minutes in a game.
Host Adam Lefkoe asked the basketball icon what would happen if 2001 Shaq came up against Jokic, leading to a brutal response from the 53-year-old.
"Slovenian chicken," Shaq said, having been corrected on his pronunciation by Lefkoe - who didn't actually point out that Jokic is from Serbia.
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"I'm getting 40 and they're gonna have to double me. He probably gonna pick-and-pop. ... After he shoot the 3, I'm running right to the middle lane and the whole arena gonna yell three seconds and we'll see. And I'mma hit way more 2s than you hit 3s, guarantee you that."
Shaq wasn't done there though as he had another jab at Jokic's big brothers Strahinja and Nemanja, saying: “And I’m gonna make his brothers fight me because the first play of the game... elbow.”
That threat ouraged fellow analyst Candace Parker, who told him that the Jokic brothers were not to be messed with - though 'Big Diesel' made no apology.
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When he was in his pomp in 2001, Shaq averaged 28.7 points and 12.7 rebounds before going on to average 30.4 points and 15.4 rebounds per game in the 2001 playoffs - where the Lakers went all the way to win the championship.
After his insane performance for the Nuggets, coach Michael Malone showered Jokic with praise.
He commented: "Nikola came up to me after the third quarter and said, 'Coach, I'm good. Leave me in there. I don't want to come out. Let me just keep playing,'.
"He was in a good rhythm, obviously - 61 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 steals. The guy is Superman."