Shaquille O’Neal has criticized Rudy Gobert, questioning whether the Minnesota Timberwolves center has lived up to the substantial contract he signed four years ago. In a discussion with his son Myles O’Neal for Complex, O’Neal labeled Gobert as the worst NBA player of all time.
O’Neal commented, “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 … because I played for my ($120 million). So you got guys like him that f— the system over. They’re making all this money, and they can’t f—ing play. So I don’t respect guys like that.”
He added, “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 shit.”
Gobert responded to O’Neal’s remarks on social media later that day:
O’Neal also criticized Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons, calling him a “bum.”
Gobert signed a five-year, $205-million extension with the Utah Jazz in December 2020, which at the time made him the highest-paid center in NBA history. O’Neal reacted to the news by posting an image on Instagram of himself dunking on Gobert.
Gobert, who was traded to the Timberwolves in 2022, averaged 2.1 blocks and 9.2 defensive rebounds per game last season, earning the Defensive Player of the Year award for a record-tying fourth time.
