Former Jazz C Rudy Gobert Fires Back After Shaq's Viral Tirade

The former Utah Jazz DPOY sounded off after Shaquille O'Neal's recent bashing.

May 30, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) warms up before game five of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

A former Utah Jazz All-Star made some headlines this week amid a bit of a social media clash with an all-time NBA great.

During a recent interview with Complex, Hall of Fame center and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal generated a hot take that caused some buzz around NBA social media, dubbing former Jazz center and now Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert as his pick for the worst player of all time.

However, as O'Neal's claim started to gain some traction, Gobert himself came to his Twitter/X account to break his silence on the situation, describing it as "sad to see" coming from someone as impactful as Shaq:

"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."

- Rudy Gobert to Shaquille O'Neal

Across recent years, O'Neal has been critical of Gobert's play in unison with his high-value contract that's led to some disappointing outcomes in the postseason, both during his time with the Jazz and the Timberwolves. Most recently though, O'Neal took his criticism to another level-- dubbing Gobert as someone he doesn't respect and a player who can't f***ing play.

Shaq was asked who the worst NBA player of all-time is.

His response: “Rudy Gobert… Ben Simmons is another bum.”

(via @Complex)pic.twitter.com/tn2APS1vAL

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 4, 2024

Gobert has had no shortage of regular season success across the past half-decade plus, collecting four DPOY awards alongside leading several top defensive units around the NBA, but that success has yet to develop into anything more than Minnesota's most recent Western Conference Finals trip once arriving to the postseason.

As a result of the playoff shortcomings, we've seen Gobert frequently finding himself in the middle of NBA banter, ultimately criticizing his lack of ability to elevate past a role as a paint protector rather than a versatile, top-end defender. Of course, the analytics are there to back up his defensive impact year after year, but when it comes time for the playoffs, the eye test has continued to show a different story.

Heading into another season with high expectations for the Timberwolves, the pressure is on for Gobert to produce. If not, the discourse could get ugly surrounding the three-time All-Star.

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