Shaquille O’Neal refuses to include Giannis Antetokounmpo among his top 5 players, says he isn’t “discrediting” him

Shaquille O'Neal refused to include Giannis Antetokounmpo in his all-time top-five list. O'Neal's comments came after his co-panelist for Tuesday's episode of "Inside the NBA," Candice Parker, said Antetokounmpo would be on her all-time top-five list once it's all said and done. Here's how Shaq responded when Parker made the claim (via Talkin' NBA):

"Giannis is the man... I don't have him in my top five, but I'm not discrediting him. He's one of my favorite players he's a great player."

Candace Parker: "Giannis, when it's all said and done, is in my top 5."

Shaq: "I don't have him in my top 5, but I'm not discrediting him."

#NBATwitter #FearTheDeer twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/st… https://t.co/1TXx5GlMG6

Giannis Antetokounmpo is still only 28 years old. He was an NBA champion, finals MVP, two-time regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year winner by 26. He has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA since the 2017-18 season.

Antetokounmpo even drew comparisons to an all-time great like LeBron James for being the unstoppable force he has become at this stage of his career. He also made it as a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. This is an impressive resume, which qualifies Giannis for all-time top-five or top-10 conversations, but not at this stage of his career.

However, it is a conversation that holds up well when it's all said and done, but as usual, these discussions come down to opinions. For now, Shaquille O'Neal has stuck with his list, which doesn't include Giannis Antetokounmpo in his top five..

Shaquille O'Neal has repeatedly admitted Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of his favorite players

Shaquille O'Neal seems to be a huge fan of NBA players who play the game with high intensity on a nightly basis. If those players are also producing the numbers, like Giannis Antetokounmpo, O'Neal hasn't hesitated in admitting his affinity toward them.

O'Neal previously took offense when Dwight Howard named himself "Superman," a moniker the former donned during his playing days. However, he happily awarded the nickname to Antetokounmpo. Here's what he said about giving Giannis the "Superman" title (via NBA on TNT):

"[Giannis] is a bad boy. Call him superman, just call me Shaq."

.@SHAQ gives Giannis the Superman nickname ✊🏽 https://t.co/5I3piyibTc

In another interview with the "Hoops Genius" podcast months ago, Shaq explained his reasons for the same, saying:

"You know I gave him the title Superman because how he plays because what he does, he plays hard, and it's all about him. It's all about his team."

Shaquille O'Neal also appreciated Giannis Antetokounmpo for not forcing a move to a superteam and turning the Milwaukee Bucks into a championship team. He led them to the title in 2021. Since then, the Bucks have been reckoned as perennial contenders, and Giannis' presence has contributed heavily to that notion.