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[Saba Sports News] On a recent episode of *The Big Podcast with Shaq*, Shaquille O’Neal doubled down on his harsh criticisms of Rudy Gobert. O’Neal, never shy about critiquing modern big men, has previously called out JaVale McGee, Joel Embiid, and even Nikola Jokić. But his ongoing jabs at Gobert intensified in August.
In an interview with *Complex*, Shaq was asked who the worst NBA player of all time was. He surprisingly answered, “Rudy Gobert,” citing Gobert’s $250 million contract and saying, “If you sign for 250, show me 250.” O’Neal added that players like Gobert “f**k the system over” by making huge money without delivering on the court, comparing it to his own career and sacrifices.
Gobert responded on social media, tweeting, “It is sad to see someone who accomplished so much still be triggered by another man’s finances.” Shaq, however, wasn’t convinced, bringing it up again on his podcast. He claimed his criticism was meant to motivate Gobert, saying, “I’m just trying to pump him up.”
Despite the back-and-forth, Gobert has proven himself defensively. As the 2023-2024 Defensive Player of the Year, he anchored the Timberwolves’ league-best defense, averaging 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game, while leading the NBA in defensive win shares and individual defensive rating.