May 13, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) talks to an official after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Celtics Legend Makes Wild Nikola Jokic, Shaquille O'Neal Statement

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Will Despart | Last updated May 31, 2025 4:51 PM ET

Despite winning three NBA MVPs and the 2021 NBA Finals, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic hasn't always gotten the respect he deserves from the game's elders. Two-time Boston Celtics champion and 1981 NBA Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell bucked that trend in a recent podcast appearance.

While playing a round of "start, bench, cut" between Shaquille O'Neal, Jokic, and Hakeem Olajuwon, Maxwell made a bold statement that would likely piss-off a majority of NBA fans from the 1990s. Despite all three being Hall of Famer/Hall of Fame-caliber, one had to be cut.

"I would cut Shaq," Maxwell said. "Jokic's game translates better than Shaq's game. I would keep Jokic on the bench, start Olajuwon, cut Shaq. Not disrespectful, it's just the way the game is played now." While each player was dominant in their own time, it's clear that Jokic's game is better suited for today's NBA.

"It is completely different because Olajuwon dominated the game in such a way that he dominated more of the game on the defensive end and the offensive end than any player in the history of the game," Maxwell added.

Nikola Jokic becomes the fastest center since Shaq to record 15,000 career points. pic.twitter.com/mTdhp38zd1
— Polymarket Hoops (@StatMamba) December 31, 2024

When Maxwell's co-host went a step further and said the starting position was a toss-up between Olajuwon and Jokic, Maxwell made sure to give Olajuwon the nod because of his defensive acumen.

"As great as Jokic is as an offensive player, defensively, you don't think of him that way," Maxwell said. "Dominating from a defensive standpoint, that's why I say Olajuwon fundamentally dominates the game more than any of those two. Shaq was a great offensive player. Defensively, he blocked some shots, but if you gave him a pick and a roll, he wasn't going to make steals or anything like that."

This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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