"I’m taking him right now.": Shaquille O'Neal thinks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a better guard than Luka Doncic
During a pregame show on "NBA on TNT," Shaquille O'Neal and the hosts compared Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Luka Doncic. Each host gave their opinion on the two stars and debated who the better point guard was. In O'Neal's book, Gilgeous-Alexander is a better point guard than Luka Doncic.
While O'Neal acknowledged that Doncic is a remarkable player, he couldn't help but pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over the Slovenian star. He stated that SGA is a better ball-handler and playmaker. In his book, Gilgeous-Alexander knows how to involve his teammates more than Doncic.
“I’m gonna have to take [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander]. Luka is a fabulous player but this kid? He plays the right way [and] gets his teammates involved. … I’m taking him right now. He’s a hell of a player right now,” said O'Neal.
Battle of the guards: Comparing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Luka Doncic
Both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic got drafted into the NBA back in 2018. Doncic was drafted third overall, while Gilgeous-Alexander went 11th overall.
On paper, it seemed that SGA wouldn't be able to become a star in the league, considering how he barely made the top 10 picks in the draft. However, it appears that he has broken the mold and has evolved into a bright star for the OKC Thunder.
For a couple of seasons now, Gilgeous-Alexander has been putting up MVP numbers. Last season, he averaged 31.4 points, 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. This year, SGA is averaging slightly better numbers with 31.3 ppg, 6.3 apg, 5.8 rpg, and 2.3 spg.
What's notable about Shai's game is his defense. He currently leads the league in steals per game and is the only player to average at least 2.0 steals. As for his scoring numbers, he currently ranks third in points per game, only behind Doncic.
Being one of the league's top-three scorers and the best defender in steals speaks volumes of how versatile Gilgeous-Alexander's game is.
Luka Doncic, statistically speaking, has better numbers with 33.6 ppg, 9.1 apg, and 8.1 rpg. However, we need to take into consideration his style of play compared to SGA.
Doncic is more of an isolation player who loves creating shots for himself. Despite his ability to rotate the ball, his assists usually come from drop passes, hence why he has more assists per game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, on the other hand, is more active when rotating the ball. SGA has fewer assists because when he initiates a play, he's not after simply dropping a dime. Usually, he creates the play by helping his team create better openings for the other teammates.
With all that being said, it's no wonder Shaquille O'Neal would take SGA over Doncic.