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Shaquille O’Neal’s longstanding feud with Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert took an even more drastic twist Thursday.
The NBA Hall of Famer has traded barbs with Gobert for years, but this time it got personal.
“I f–king hate Rudy Gobert,” said O’Neal on his podcast “The Big Podcast with Shaq.”
“That guy is making $250 million, and he doesn’t deserve it, man. Seriously. As the president of The Big Man Alliance, if you’re earning big money, you should play like a big man. That’s the bottom line. Go out there, be aggressive, don’t let smaller players intimidate you.”
Gobert, a four-time defensive player of the year, has averaged 11.7 rebounds, 12.6 points, 2.1 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in his 12-year career.
O’Neal is hoping those accomplishments aren’t enough to make the two Hall of Fame counterparts.
“If Rudy Gobert makes it to the Hall of Fame, I’ll wear this dress to the ceremony,” Shaquille O’Neal quipped, referencing a picture of Charles Barkley in a dress for a WeightWatchers ad.
O’Neal has targeted Gobert since at least 2021, when he made fun of his lack of offensive ability.

“I’m not trying to be negative, but this should be a motivation for all the young kids,” O’Neal remarked. “If you average 11 points in the NBA, you can secure a $200 million contract.”
His opinion of Gobert is so low that he even had rival Draymond Green’s back when Green was suspended for putting Gobert in a headlock in 2023.
Last season, O’Neal told Complex that Gobert was the worst NBA player of all time, along with Ben Simmons, whom he called “another bum.”
Gobert responded to that diss on social media.

“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 said. “I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant.”