Days after NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal crowned Rudy Gobert as the worst NBA player of all time, the Minnesota Timberwolves star responded — and he didn’t hold back.
O’Neal had called out Gobert, claiming that the Minnesota Timberwolves player doesn’t live up to his large contract.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Gobert shared his feelings of the extreme slight from O’Neal, writing “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.”
Gobert continued, adding “I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
During a Sept. 4 appearance on the GOAT Talk podcast, O’Neal was asked to name his pick for the worst player in the NBA, to which he quickly responded by naming Gobert and added Ben Simmons’ name to the list as well.
O’Neal elaborated on his stance, saying “No, because you know why? If you sign a contract for $250 [million], show me $250. There’s a reason why I walk funny, why I can’t turn my neck. Because I played for my $120 [million]. You got guys like him that f— the system over. They’re making all this money and they can’t f—ing play. I don’t respect guys like that.”
O’Neal kept going, and explained that his issue also lies in the fact that other professions pay far less with workers that do far more, while Gobert, in his opinion, slides by.
“Every time I make these comments, people think I’m hating, but these are facts,” Shaq said. “You got teachers, you got firemen, you got doctors who have real jobs and don’t get paid s—.”
Gobert is currently signed to a five-year, $205 million deal with the Timberwolves set to expire at the conclusion of the 2025-26 NBA season, per Sports Illustrated.
Leave a Reply