Is Nikola Jokic Greater Than Shaq?

Earlier today, CBS Sports came out with their top 25 players of the last 25 years. While there were many interesting choices and surprising picks, one of the most controversial might have been the placing of Nikola Jokic one spot ahead of the legendary Shaquille O’Neal. Jokic came in at number four with the Diesel at number five, each of them below the likes of LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Tim Duncan. While Jokic is without question a great player, is he greater than Shaq all-time?

First, one of the most important distinctions when determining a player's greatness is the difference between being the best and being the greatest. Who was better and who was greater? It’s pretty easy to tell how good a player is. You can watch their games, look at their stats, see the impact they have on their team, etc. However, a player can be really, really good and still never win anything, just as a player can win a bunch but still not be very good. Greatness is the mixture of these things, as it takes into account how good a player you were, plus your accomplishments.

This may be a controversial statement, but I probably believe that Nikola Jokic is a better player than Shaquille O’Neal was. While Shaq was the most dominant force of the generation, capable of powering through everybody on his way to the rim, Jokic is a more balanced player than Shaq ever was. While both players can score and rebound, Jokic’s basketball IQ and passing abilities make him the better all-around player. After all, Nikola Jokic sits third in the all-time triple trouble standings behind only Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson, both of whom he is on pace to pass. Shaquille O’Neal may have been a better defender than Jokic, but this is largely due to his shot-blocking abilities rather than his ability to lock down a defender. This is similar to how Jokic is capable of stealing the ball more than once a game, but also tends to leave the “actual defending” to his teammates. However, as I mentioned above, being better than one player doesn’t make you greater.

The truth is, while Jokic may be better than Shaq was, Shaq is still the greater player all-time. Whereas Jokic is an NBA champion, Shaq is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time Finals MVP. Shaq sits close to the top of the NBA’s all-time points list, rebounds list, and blocks list, whereas Jokic has several more years to go to reach these heights. Jokic may have the edge on Shaq in MVPs, but the case can be made, and is often made, that Shaq should have won several more MVPs than he did, as he was arguably the best player in the world for a five-year stretch. The problem was that he was playing alongside Kobe Bryant. Having two superstars alongside one another limits each of their stats, thus keeping them from both reaching their full potential individually. This is similar to how both Steph Curry and Kevin Durant won all their MVPs prior to them teaming up in Golden State, despite their seasons together likely being their best.

So, while Jokic may actually be the better player between him and Shaq, Shaq still edges him out in terms of all-time greatness. Shaq has more championships, more Finals MVPs, greater all-time career stats, and is much more iconic in the NBA pantheon than the Joker is. Now, this isn’t saying Jokic can’t catch or surpass Shaq, but he needs to accomplish a little bit more first. He has the skill and the MVPs, but another championship or two could really help swing the pendulum in the Joker’s favor.