NBA
Shaquille O’Neal said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the conversation of ‘greatness’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated46 mins ago on July 25, 2025
The 2024-25 season was a dominant year for the Oklahoma City Thunder as a team. Additionally, top players on the roster came home with plenty of accolades.
None more than 2024-25 NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It was an incredible season for the 27-year-old as he helped OKC win a championship in 2025. Recently, five-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal made an appearance on the Pivot Podcast. O’Neal mentioned how he played with and against “greatness” in the NBA. After his 2024-25 campaign, the Hall of Fame center said SGA has entered that conversation. That’s immense respect from one of the all-time greats.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got his flowers from Shaquille O’Neal this offseason
Shaq states that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the conversation as one of the greats.
(Via @thepivot, H/T @playoffcity) | #ThunderUp
— SleeperThunder (@SleeperThunder) July 23, 2025
Shaquille O’Neal was on the Pivot Podcast and discussed who he believes in the face of the NBA. In his eyes, there is no debate. O’Neal strongly feels Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the #1 player in the league. He’s been one of the top players for the last three seasons. After he had one of the most historic seasons in recent memory, O’Neal is ready to put SGA in the conversation of “greatness.”
The Hall of Fame center mentioned players like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dwyane Wade. Shaq said they are all in the conversation of “greatness.” He made a bold claim and said, “SGA is in there now.” With the incredible season that SGA just had, it’s hard to argue against O’Neal.
KAREEM. JORDAN. SHAQ. SGA. 🔥
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander caps off a HISTORIC run! https://t.co/sNwvvPfdAY pic.twitter.com/yxossF2u11
— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2025
In just 2024-25 alone, Gilgeous-Alexander was the NBA MVP, league scoring champion, NBA Champion, and Finals MVP. He’s just the fourth player in league history to accomplish that feat. It’s quite fitting that the last person to do that before SGA was none other than Shaq himself. He understands the historic season that SGA just had. O’Neal recognizes another Hall of Fame-caliber player when he sees one.
Oklahoma City has a young core of talent that will be with the team for years to come. It’s hard not to see the Thunder winning multiple championships in the next decade. The emergence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a superstar changed the trajectory of this team. Six years into his time with the Thunder, SGA has delivered a championship and is a household name.
