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Anthony Gharib, ESPN
The ongoing beef between Rudy Gobert and Shaquille O’Neal added another chapter on Thursday.
The four-time NBA champion has made multiple digs at the Minnesota Timberwolves center through the years. His recent take came while appearing on Complex’s “GOAT Talk” podcast with his son Myles O’Neal.
Myles asked his father who the worst NBA player of all time was. Shaq responded with Gobert, prompting Myles to ask, “What about Ben Simmons?” whom Shaq proceeded to call “also a bum.”
Myles chuckled and apologized to Simmons and Gobert before Shaq offered an explanation.
“If you sign a contract for [$250 million], show me you’re 250,” Shaq said. “There’s a reason why I walk funny and why I can’t turn my neck and why I can’t do it because I played for my [$120 million]. So you got guys like him that f— the system over and they’re making all this money and they can’t f—ing play. So I don’t respect guys like that.”
The comments caught Gobert’s attention, who responded on X.
It is sad to see someone that has accomplished as much as you did @SHAQ both in sport and business still be triggered by another man’s finances and accomplishments. I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant. https://t.co/KPHs2VmfIb
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) September 5, 2024
O’Neal has often criticized Gobert since the four-time Defensive Player of the Award winner signed a five-year, $205 million contract in December 2020. O’Neal said on a March episode of his podcast that if he was 42, he’d be making “Rudy Gobert money.”
“Twelve points and eight rebounds? I could do that s— right now,” O’Neal said.
He also dismissed Gobert’s defensive impact on the same episode.
Shaq believes Bam Adebayo should win DPOY over Rudy Gobert… do you agree? 👀
EP 12 OUT NOW | https://t.co/en2LcbqflC pic.twitter.com/BLS6eYAXKy
— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) March 14, 2024
Gobert told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon in April 2024 that he has made peace with being the NBA’s most ridiculed player. The center has received heat from various members of the league, including Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.