NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has never been one to hold his tongue.
When the four-time NBA champion and “Inside the NBA” analyst and co-host feels a certain way concerning something he’s gonna let it be known. For years now O’Neal has had an ongoing beef with Minnesota Timberwolves big man and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
The Diesel, as Shaq is affectionately known, has questioned Gobert as a defender, while also mentioning that he’s way overpaid.
Gobert has fired back, but for the most part has done his best to steer clear of a possible back-and-forth spat with O’Neal.
Nobody wants to be the target of a Shaq diss record. Ask Shannon Sharpe.
That hasn’t stopped Shaq from still calling out the man known as “Stifel Tower” whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Shaq Ups The Ante As It Pertains To Gobert
Speaking with his son Myles O’Neal, the charismatic big man called Gobert “the worst player of all-time.”
That was just the beginning as Shaq also took aim at Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons who’s played a grand total of 101 games the past three NBA seasons.
“Ben Simmons is another bum. You know why? Because 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 $120 million.”
Shaq continued, “You guys like him that f— the system over. They’re making all this money and they can’t f— 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 got doctors who have real jobs and don’t get paid s—.”
Gobert and Simmons Make $75M Per Year Combined
Of course O’Neal is making valid points as it pertains to both Gobert and Simmons who make a combined $75 million per season between them. While Gobert’s impact is felt defensively as evidenced by his four DPOY awards which ties him with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace for the most in league history, Simmons has completely disappeared since leaving Philly via trade in 2022.
Shaq Won’t Stop Speaking His Mind
O’Neal and his “Inside the NBA” co-host Charles Barkley have long been called haters who are just jealous of the type of money they’re paying players today, even if they’re mediocre. This versus the type of money they made during their careers at any point, ha become a sticking point in debates. In fact, hearing Shaq and Barkley criticize players is rather refreshing, because for the most part no one calls them out on their gibberish, but it also comes a point where it gets old.
Based on who both Shaq and Barkley are, it doesn’t seem like something their opinions will change on today’s players, especially with contracts continuing to balloon. But what O’Neal must remember is that when he constantly complains about the huge contract Gobert signed while he was a member of the Utah Jazz, it does sound like hate.
Are Gobert or many other players actually worth the money they’re being paid? Probably not, but someone has to take it with the steadily climbing market calling for it.
