Shaquille O’Neal was smirking as he scrolled through social media reactions to his latest comments. Known for fiercely guarding his legacy, the Hall of Famer unexpectedly handed high praise to Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, calling him the “GOAT.”
The proclamation followed a recent Instagram post comparing Curry’s career scoring to the iconic Los Angeles Lakers center, noting O’Neal sits at No. 10 all time with 28,596 points while Curry trails at No. 19 with 26,397.
Shaq’s brief response caught attention immediately: “That’s ok with me, Curry is the GOAT.”
The praise came after a public snub earlier this month and surprised many fans, as the 53-year-old paid homage to one of the defining stars of the modern era.
Earlier, O’Neal had left Curry out of his top 10 greatest players during a Netflix *Power Moves* appearance, instead listing legends such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, and Julius Erving. The omission raised eyebrows, especially given Shaq’s previous endorsements of the Warriors guard.
That made the reversal even more striking. During a prior *Inside the NBA* appearance, O’Neal had openly argued Curry belonged in the GOAT discussion.
“I played against Mike, played with Kobe, played against and with LeBron. At some point, we’re going to have to put Steph Curry in that category,” Shaq said – before appearing to walk it back, and now swinging firmly the other way again.
Fans and analysts reacted quickly. Some viewed O’Neal’s comments as a public apology, while others framed it as a soft acknowledgment reflecting Shaq’s long-running, often unpredictable relationship with legacy debates.
Social media buzzed with Curry supporters highlighting his scoring milestones, three-point records, and MVP awards, while Shaq loyalists debated dominance versus versatility and era-to-era comparisons.
O’Neal’s acknowledgment also arrives as Curry inches closer to the top 10 in all-time scoring, sitting fewer than 2,200 points behind the former Laker, fueling renewed discussion about shifting standards of greatness.
* Shaq career points: 28,596 (No. 10 all time)
* Curry career points: 26,397 (No. 19 all time)
* Shaq NBA titles: 4 (Lakers), 1 (Miami Heat)
* Curry NBA titles: 4 (Warriors)
* MVP awards: Shaq 1, Curry 2
* All-Star selections: Shaq 15, Curry 13
Luka Doncic pulls alongside Shaq O’Neal in the history books
Another player beginning to brush against O’Neal’s statistical territory is Luka Doncic. The Slovenian star joined an elite Lakers club alongside O’Neal and Bryant after scoring 46 points in a win over the Chicago Bulls, knocking down eight three-pointers.
Doncic has now reached 2,000 points in just 65 games with Los Angeles since arriving from Dallas. The performance tied him with O’Neal for the most 45-point double-doubles in Lakers history and placed him alongside Bryant as the only player to record a 45-point double-double with at least eight threes in a single game.
It also marked the fourth straight game in which the 26-year-old scored more than 30 points. He is averaging 33.8 points per game, narrowly ahead of reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 32.1, further cementing his status as a franchise cornerstone.
The milestone has sparked early debate about Doncic’s place on a potential Lakers Mount Rushmore, particularly with the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend set for Los Angeles. He could be joined there by longtime friend Nikola Jokic, who is currently recovering from a knee injury and remains uncertain for the midseason showcase.
“Amazing, yes. Everyone knows what kind of friend Nikola is,” Doncic said. “We’ll be in LA, so we’ll probably spend time off the court together.”
The 2026 NBA All-Star event will feature a Team World versus two Team USA squads format and will be hosted February 13-15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
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