Shaq Hands Giannis Antetokoumpo The "Superman" Title

Shaq has high praise for the potential MVP winner.

BYAlexander Cole
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Rick Kern/Getty Images for American Express

Giannis Antetokoumpo is one of the front runners to potentially win MVP honors in the NBA this season. His Milwaukee Bucks boast the best record in the league and Giannis is living up to his nickname "The Greek Freak." He is putting up beastly numbers and some of the game's greats have taken notice. One of the former superstars that are impressed with Antetokoumpo's game is Shaq, who is considered one of the best to ever play the game. In fact, Shaq, whose nickname was "Superman," is now passing the "Superman" moniker down to Giannis, saying he's more deserving.

Per ‘The Big Podcast with Shaq’:

“He’s better and that’s why I gave up my Superman title to him. But you know what? He works hard, he’s a humble kid and works hard. He doesn’t just come and show up and expect people to say: ‘Oh, he’s the next one’. This kid actually works and he’s earned it. He’s deserved it and he’s earned my respect so I’m giving it to him. To answer all the questions: ‘You’re right, the kid is better than me at 24.′ He’s better because he has more opportunity to showcase more. I was a post player and the only thing I was allowed to showcase was my domination but he’s running the floor. I did that early, I stopped doing that because I stopped getting the ball when running the floor so I turned into a half-court dominant player."

Shaq is obviously a legend of the game with multiple NBA titles under his belt so this kind of praise should go a long way. With the Bucks heavily favored to come out of the East, it wouldn't be surprising to see Giannis in the finals this year. 

His legacy has only just begun.


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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.