In the history of the NBA, few players have been as polarizing as those with transcendent talent. While some athletes receive criticism due to off-court narratives, others face backlash simply because their skills dominate the game—Stephen Curry being a prime example. And according to Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, Curry and Luka Doncic are two players who have managed to earn his respect, despite initially being on the receiving end of his well-known skepticism.
O’Neal, who has built a reputation for being highly critical of modern players, made the revelation on a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq. He explained that Curry and Doncic are the only two players to ever pass what he calls his “hate test.”
“I like Luka. Luka can play,” Shaq said. “If you can pass my hate test and still go… Like Steph Curry, I was like, ‘That s**t lucky.’ He kept doing it. ‘That s**t lucky.’ Then you get to a point—alright, this mo*****er can play. I used to hate Luka until I saw him play. I was like, ‘This mo*****ing white boy alright.’”
Shaq continued by emphasizing how rare it is for today’s players to impress him: “Remember, I’ve played with some of the greatest, so there’s not a lot of new s**t that you can do. But if you do it consistently, and then level up, I’ll give you props.”
Doncic’s dominant numbers
Luka Doncic continues to put up elite numbers during the 2024–25 season. The Dallas Mavericks star is averaging 27.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. Doncic has cemented himself as one of the top players in the league and has been named to the All-NBA First Team in each of the last five seasons.
Curry still chasing greatness
Stephen Curry, meanwhile, is averaging 24.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Golden State Warriors this season. Widely regarded as the second-best player of his generation behind LeBron James, Curry continues his pursuit of a fifth NBA title in 2025.
Shaq on why he respects Curry
Despite his reputation as a tough critic, O’Neal made it clear just how much he respects Curry—perhaps more than any other current player. “You know why I love Steph Curry? Because I’ve never seen that before,” Shaq said. “If you saw Steph on the street, he doesn’t have LeBron’s muscles, he’s not 6’9”, 6’10”. He looks like a perfectly normal office guy. And he’s doing things people have never seen before.”
Shaq’s praise underscores the undeniable impact Curry and Doncic continue to have on the league—so much so that even one of the most outspoken legends in NBA history can’t help but give them their flowers.