“I don’t know about that” – Shaq doesn’t believe Shai Gilgeous Alexander had the ‘greatest one-year’ in NBA history originally appeared on Basketball Network.
In today’s NBA, what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pulled off during the 2024-25 season was nothing short of historic. Considering how Nikola Jokic led his team to a title as the Finals MVP in the lone season he didn’t win the regular-season MVP, SGA managed to check every possible box as a superstar while achieving that glory. Not only did he lead the league in scoring, but edged out Jokic, despite ‘The Joker’ having a career year, to win the MVP award while leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their first championship in over four decades. Still, despite all that, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t believe SGA had the ‘greatest individual year’ in NBA history.
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Shaq makes his feelings clear about SGA’s heroics in the 2024-25 season
When Michael Jordan retired in 1993, the NBA throne was left wide open. That is when Hakeem Olajuwon seized the opportunity with both hands. Out of nowhere, he put together a campaign for the ages, averaging a then career high 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks across 80 games. Ultimately, that dominance earned him both MVP and DPOY awards in the regular season.
Then, when many expected Olajuwon to run out of gas after exhibiting his maximum effort, he elevated his game seamlessly in the postseason. Olajuwon averaged an even more impressive 28.9 points and four blocks per game while averaging a jaw-dropping 43 minutes per game to lead the Houston Rockets to their first-ever title. All this took place, with the team surviving two Game 7s.
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By comparison, even though Shai’s scoring prowess was impossible to contain, his scoring average dipped a bit in the playoffs. On top of that, the Thunder’s roster was so deep that SGA averaged just over 34 minutes per game during the playoffs. That is why when O’Neal was recently asked if Gilgeous-Alexander had the ‘greatest individual season’ in NBA history, he refuted that claim without any hesitation.
“I don’t know about that. But he had a great year,” O’Neal said. “I don’t know about the greatest, but he did have a great year.”
There is a lot for Gilgeous-Alexander to achieve
After all, climbing to the mountaintop in the NBA is one challenge, but staying there is even tougher. Perhaps that is why Shaq feels that if SGA wants to truly acquire such a feat, the three-time All-Star would need to back it up with another championship triumph in the upcoming 2025-26 season.
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That being said, while Shai might not quite surpass Hakeem’s unforgettable run just yet, the door is wide open. If he can lead his young OKC team to another title while also defending his MVP honor, it is hard to imagine that there would be any disputing that he had the greatest two-year window, especially at this age, in NBA history.
But as things stand, it seems like the entire Western Conference has made it a point to challenge the Thunder’s young core like never before. Will SGA be able to respond to that? Remains to be seen.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 16, 2025, where it first appeared.