Rudy Gobert and Shaquille O’Neal have been going back and forth at each other this week, after ‘Shaq’ shared his brutal opinion on the Timberwolves star.
Rudy Gobert Replies To Shaq
Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to speaking what’s on his mind and he had some strong words for Rudy Gobert this week, despite the Minnesota star impressing in the NBA recently.
‘Shaq’ didn’t hold back on his thoughts of the French big man, accusing Gobert of not trying hard enough after he earned his latest contract with the Timberwolves.
“If you sign a contract for 250 (million dollars), show me 250 (worth of effort),” O’Neal 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.
“It’s guys like him that f**k the system over. They’re making all this money and they can’t f*****g 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. You got teachers, you got firemen, you’ve got doctors who have real jobs and don’t get paid s**t.”
Gobert doesn’t seem to have let Shaq’s video rant get under his skin though and he has already responded to the veteran on Twitter, calling him ‘triggered’.
“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 wrote.
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
“I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant.”
Despite Shaq’s thoughts on Gobert, the 32-year-old has been one of the most reliable defenders in the NBA during his 11 years in the league and he has the individual achievements to prove it.
Gobert is tied for the most Defensive Player of The Year awards in NBA history, with the big man picking up four including his latest title which came last year.
As a result of his dominance in the league, Gobert was rewarded with a five-year, $205million contract which earns the Minnesota star around $40m a year.