Shaq says Giannis is 'better than me at 24'

Giannis Antetokounmpo has drawn the praise of many during his MVP-caliber 2018-19 campaign, including Shaquille O'Neal.

The Hall of Famer handed his "Superman" nickname to the Milwaukee Bucks superstar in November, and Shaq doubled down during his most recent podcast episode.

"He’s better and that’s why I gave up my Superman title to him," O'Neal said on "The Big Podcast With Shaq."

"He doesn’t just come and show up and expect people to say, 'Hey, I do this. I do that. I'm the next one.' This kid actually works and he’s earned it," O'Neal added. "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."

O'Neal said Antetokounmpo is further along than he was because the forward has "more opportunities to showcase more."

"I was a post player and the only thing I was allowed to showcase was my (interior) domination," O'Neal said. "But he’s running the floor. I did that early (in my career). I stopped doing that because I stopped getting the ball when I ran the floor, so I turned into a half-court dominant player."

Antetokounmpo is averaging career highs in points (27.4), rebounds (12.5), and assists (5.9) across 70 appearances. The Bucks hold the league's best record at 58-20 and are closing in on home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs.