The ongoing feud between Shaquille O’Neal and Rudy Gobert has taken a new turn.
Thursday, Gobert taken to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to a recent interview in which he was criticized by O’Neal. This is nothing new, of course, as O’Neal has used his platform on social media and as a TNT analyst to take some not-so-subtle jabs at the Timberwolves center.
This time, Gobert addressed O’Neal directly, ending his message by saying, “I understand the entertainment side of it, but unlike some people, you don’t need that kind of stuff to stay relevant.”
What did O’Neal say about Gobert? Here’s what the Hall of Famer said to prompt a response from the four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
What did Shaquille O’Neal say about Rudy Gobert?
In an interview with Complex, O’Neal was asked which NBA player was the worst of all time (WOAT). He I didn’t waste time saying Gobert was his WOAT while saying Nets forward Ben Simmons “is another bum.”
“You know why? I’ll tell you why: If you sign a contract for 250 million, show me 250 million. There’s a reason why I walk funny, why I can’t turn my neck and why I can’t do it: because I played for my 120 million.”
“So you have guys like him who are screwing up the system, making all this money and can’t play. So I don’t respect guys like that. You know, every time I make those comments, people think I hate them, but it’s a fact.”
While O’Neal seemingly directed his rant toward Simmons, mentioning Gobert first was enough to put the Frenchman on notice.
Rudy Gobert calls out Shaquille O’Neal
A day after the Complex interview was published, Gobert didn’t hesitate to respond to O’Neal.
“It’s sad to see someone who has accomplished as much as you have @SHAQ, both in sports and business, still be influenced by another man’s finances and accomplishments,” Gobert said. “I understand the entertainment aspect, but unlike other people, you don’t need that kind of stuff to stay relevant.”
It’s sad to see someone who has accomplished as much as you @SHAQ In sports as in business, another man’s finances and accomplishments can always be the deciding factor. I understand the entertainment aspect, but unlike other people, you don’t need that kind of thing to stay relevant. https://t.co/KPHs2VmfIb
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) September 5, 2024
Gobert, 32, just won his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, a record in recent months. Although he has yet to win an NBA title, his career earnings are close to those of O’Neal.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Career Record vs. Rudy Gobert
Gobert earned $217.2 million in the 2023-24 season and will add $43.8 million to that total in 2024-25. At the end of his current contract, Gobert will surpass $300 million in career earnings.
O’Neal, who joined the league in 1992, earned $286.3 million in 19 seasons. His highest single-season salary was $27.7 million in 2004-05 with Miami.
| O’Neal | Gobert | |
| Career earnings | $286,344,668 | $217,207,582 |
