The ongoing feud between Shaquille O'Neal and Rudy Gobert has taken on new life.
On Thursday, Gobert took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to a recent interview in which he was the subject of O'Neal's criticism. This, of course, is nothing new, as O'Neal has used his platform on social media and as a TNT analyst to take not-so-subtle digs at the Timberwolves center.
This time around, Gobert addressed O'Neal directly, ending his message by saying, "I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant."
What did O'Neal say about Gobert? Here is what the Hall of Famer said to elicit a response from the four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
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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 wasted no time saying Gobert was his WOAT while also saying Nets forward Ben Simmons "is another bum."
"You know why? I'm going to 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 got guys like him that f— the system over, making all this money and they can't f—ing play. So, I don't respect guys like that. You know, every time I make these comments, people think I'm hating, but these are facts."
While O'Neal seemingly shifted his diatribe toward Simmons, mentioning Gobert first was enough to put the Frenchman on notice.
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Rudy Gobert calls out Shaquille O'Neal
One day after the Complex interview surfaced, Gobert did not hold back with his response to O'Neal.
"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 said. "I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant."
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
Gobert, 32, is months removed from winning an NBA record-tying fourth Defensive Player of the Year award. While he has yet to win an NBA title, Gobert's career earnings are nearing O'Neal's.
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Shaquille O'Neal vs. Rudy Gobert career earnings
Gobert has earned $217.2 million through the 2023-24 season and will add $43.8 million to that tally in 2024-25. At the end of Gobert's current contract, he will surpass career earnings of $300 million.
O'Neal, who entered the league in 1992, earned $286.3 million over 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 |
