In a segment on TNT this Tuesday, Shaquille O'Neal gave his latest hot take on Mavericks star Luka Doncic. After his coach, Jason Kidd, claimed that he is "better than Dirk," O'Neal set the record straight and explained why, in his mind, it's still far too early to make such a bold statement.
“Great player but the key is consistency. I seen a lot of guys that play great their first four years and you don't hear from them. He's in a different era… So, I don’t think you can start putting him in that category yet. Great player, but better than Dirk? A little too early," said O'Neal.
Dirk Nowitzki was no scrub for the Mavericks. In 21 years, he averaged 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game on 38% shooting from three. after 21 seasons in Dallas, he retired in 2019 as a 14x All-Star, 12x All-NBA player, and 2011 NBA champion. He was everything for the Mavericks until recent history when Doncic broke out into a true superstar. So far, Luka has been the savior for the Mavericks and even Dirk Nowitzki himself is happy to recognize his status as the new face of the organization. But until Luka Doncic can deliver when it counts the most, as Dirk did against one of the greatest players ever, he'll always fall short in the eyes of some critics. And while there is no doubt that Doncic is talented enough to make a run like that, he hasn't proven himself as a leader to the team both on the off the court. This season, at 28-23, Dallas is in a position to surprise some people in the spring and you can be sure that no team will be looking forward to facing them in the early stages of the bracket.
Can Luka Doncic Surpass Nowitzki?
Dirk Nowitzki may not be on the same level as LeBron James or Stephen Curry, but he's a legend in his own right who accomplished a lot during his 21-year career. And while Luka Doncic still has a lot to prove in the league, he's quickly rising the ranks of Mavericks stars. In just five seasons, Doncic has exploded into a superstar and he's got 5 All-Star appearances to show for it. This season, through 42 games, has been his best stretch so far with averages of 34.5 points, 9..4 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game on 48.8% shooting.
As one best offensive players on the team and one of the best young players in the league, Luka is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory. But until he can lead the Mavericks to a championship and win in the postseason, guys like Shaq will never rank him with the OG legends. The only question now is, can Luka ever get it done?
This season, with Irving, he's doing all he can to carry the Mavericks to a top-six seed but they are still behind the Western Conference favorites. To win when it matters the most, Dallas will have to step up their defense and the supporting cast (guys like Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr.) will have to show up on a more consistent basis. Only time will tell if the Mavericks can compete with the best, but having a player of Luka's caliber means going out and doing whatever it takes to sustain a championship-level team.
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