NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has been vocal in his admiration for Steph Curry and the way the Golden State Warriors star plays basketball.

But before Curry became his favorite player, O’Neal started as a skeptic of the two-time NBA MVP.

“I used to hate on him early on his career,” O’Neal said in the All The Smoke podcast hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.

“[I always said], ‘He ain’t going to make that.’ But he kept proving me wrong so that’s why he is my best player.”

After sitting out almost the entire 2019-2020 season due to a hand injury, the 33-year-old guard is back to his hot-shooting exploits as he tries to tow the Warriors back to the playoffs.

Curry is currently averaging 31.3 points – second only to the league-leading 31.4 points of Washington Wizards ace Bradley Beal – on top of 5.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds to put himself in consideration for a third MVP award.

He recently broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single month as he eclipsed the previous mark of 82 triples set by Brooklyn Nets star James Harden in November 2019.

Curry has netted 90 three-pointers throughout April with one game left in the month against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The three-point revolution Curry pioneered has opened new doors for smaller players, O’Neal said.

“You got a bunch of little kids, dribbling, shooting 100-footers,” O’Neal said. “But he is doing something for them, he is giving them a chance.”

“Steph is probably the most influential player when it comes to little people. Because I see a lot of little guards, little kids, they’re doing stuff I can’t even do.” – Rappler.com