NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has never been afraid to let basketball fans know how he feels when it comes to certain teams and players. During a recent interview with Complex, the Hall of Fame big man was asked who he thought was the worst NBA player of all time.
Shaq didn’t mince words about his answer: Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert.
“If you sign a contract for 250 [million], show me 250,” he said. “There’s a reason why I walk funny, why I can’t turn my neck and why I can’t do it is because I played for my 120 [million]. You got guys like him that f— the system over and they’re making all this money and they can’t f—ing play. I don’t respect guys like that.”
O’Neal was also sure to get in a jab on Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons as he called Simmons “another bum.” Gobert is currently entering the fourth season of a five-year, $205 million deal he originally signed with the Utah Jazz, while Ben Simmons is wrapping up a $177 million contract this season.
During an appearance on USA Today’s “Sports Seriously” on Friday, O’Neal doubled down on his comments, and wants his original take to serve as motivation for Gobert and Simmons.
“It’s also personal motivation,” O’Neal said. “So now Rudy and Ben: Show me what you got. See, like, people don’t understand the things I’m saying now on TV, it’s the same things I said to my players as a leader. Young man … you’re getting paid $20 million, you ain’t doing nothing. Step your game up. The outsiders that what we know, they’re like ‘oh, he’s hating.’ No, I’m not hating. I’m telling you the truth. And if you don’t like the truth, that’s something you got to deal with. So now, it’s out there. It’s viral. So show me what you’re going to do, Rudy and Ben. Shut me up.”
Meanwhile, Gobert responded to O’Neal comments on Thursday.
“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,” Gobert wrote on social media.
It’s an interesting take from O’Neal considering Gobert has accomplished quite a bit during his NBA career. Gobert is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time All-Star and a seven-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team during his time with the Utah Jazz and Timberwolves.
Gobert is coming off of a season in which he averaged 14.0 points and 12.9 rebounds with the Timberwolves. The French native’s 12.9 rebounds per contest were the second-highest average in the entire league, only trailing Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis (13.7).
