Shaquille O'Neal is not holding back when it comes to his feelings about Rudy Gobert.
On the latest episode of The Big Podcast, which dropped on Thursday, July 24, the NBA legend let loose with a brutal takedown of the Minnesota Timberwolves center, making it clear that his disdain for Gobert is personal — and apparently, longstanding.
“I f***ing hate Rudy Gobert,” Shaq said unprompted. “Because that motherf***er is making $250 [million] and he don’t deserve it, dog.”
The heated comments came after Marcus and Markieff Morris shared that while they’re aggressive on the court, they’re cool off it. But Shaq wasn’t in the mood for nuance. Instead, he zeroed in on Gobert as a symbol of what’s wrong with big men in the league today.
“As the President of the Big Man Alliance,” Shaq declared, “if you making big money, play like a f***ing big man. Throw some 'bows, knock some people out. Don’t be letting little white dudes from Denver dunk on you and talk sh*t. Come on, bro."
O’Neal even took it a step further, holding up an infamous image of Charles Barkley in a dress and saying, “If Rudy Gobert gets into the Hall of Fame, I’ll wear this dress to the motherf***ing ceremony. If he gets in, take me out [of the Hall of Fame]."
Despite Shaq’s passionate objections, Gobert’s résumé tells a different story. According to Sports Illustrated, with four Defensive Player of the Year awards, four All-NBA selections, and eight All-Defense honors over 12 seasons, he’s statistically in elite company. Players like Ben Wallace, who have also earned similar accolades, have already secured Hall of Fame status.
Whether Gobert ultimately gets the call to Springfield remains to be seen. But if he does, fans might get to see Shaq in a dress to commemorate the occasion.