Watch: Shaquille O'Neal hails Kyrie Irving as one of the top 3 point guards of all-time on his Instagram story

Shaquille O'Neal's latest Instagram story suggests he believes Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is among the top-three point guards of all-time. It comes as a bit of a surprise after O'Neal was heavily critical of Irving's anti-vaccination stance a few months ago. Here's the post O'Neal reshared in his story:

Shaquille O'Neal would probably have been impressed by Kyrie Irving's performance upon his return to the NBA on Wednesday.

Irving made his season debut against the Indiana Pacers after the Nets decided to recall him from suspension and allow him to be a part-time player. That decision seems to have paid off.

Irving played a crucial role in his first game back, helping his side erase a 19-point third-quarter deficit to claim a win against the Pacers. It helped his side snap a three-game skid.

There were plenty of games before where the Brooklyn Nets could have turned a clash in their favor had Irving been on their roster at the time. After their struggles against some of the best teams in the league, it seems the Nets have made the right choice by asking Irving to return to the lineup. He will only be available for road games, due to his vaccination status.

Shaquille O'Neal on Brooklyn Nets decision to recall Kyrie Irving

Shaquille O'Neal at F1 Grand Prix of USA

Shaquille O'Neal was clearly among those individuals who was unimpressed with the Brooklyn Nets' decision to recall Kyrie Irving from suspension. On a recent episode of "The Big Podcast," Shaq expressed disappointment with the Nets recalling Irving to be a part-time player.

Shaquille O'Neal also expressed during that episode that the Brooklyn Nets had panicked for no reason when they recalled Kyrie Irving. He said they were comfortably placed atop the Eastern Conference standings and did not need Irving's help anymore.

The Brooklyn Nets were at the top of the East standings for a lengthy period. However, Kevin Durant and James Harden had to carry the team by themselves on several occasions. The duo has played heavy minutes up until now, which isn't ideal considering their injury history from last season.

Irving's return will favor the Brooklyn Nets immensely, albeit the fact that he will be available as a part-time player. The Nets can sustain their successful win/loss (14-3) record away from home with Irving back in the lineup.

The point guard won't be available for home games due to New York City's vaccination mandates. But the likes of Durant and Harden will be in better condition now compared to the start of the campaign.

That's because Kyrie Irving's presence in road games will ease the pressure off them to a great extent. It will also allow them to take occasional rests when the team travels on the road.