Shaquille O’Neal admits he actually hates Rudy Gobert: “Don’t let little white dudes from Denver dunk on you” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The ongoing feud between Shaquille O’Neal and Rudy Gobert is now public knowledge. The primary topics of conflict have centered on the definition of a big man and undeserving contract extensions. Considering the regular back and forth, things are only likely to get uglier.
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O’Neal has often been critical of certain big men, with the most prominent example being Dwight Howard in the past. Nonetheless, the two seemed to have buried the hatchet, with Shaq agreeing to walk the Orlando Magic’s all-time leading scorer into the Hall of Fame.
While he mended his fences with Howard, it doesn’t seem like the same thing will happen with Gobert. It all began when O’Neal told the seven-footer to “man up,” who publicly broke down for not making the All-Star in 2019. Not to mention his doubts regarding the five-year, $205M contract extension.
In a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Big Diesel explained his hatred for Gobert. He also had the Morris twins on the panel.
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“I f—ing hate Rudy Gobert. He is making 250M and he doesn’t deserve it. As the President of the Big Man Alliance, you making big money, play like a big man. That’s it. Throw some bows. Knock some people out. Don’t be little white dudes from Denver dunk on you and talk to you. Then you got to grab them by the neck at the last second. If you going to get paid big money, play big,” said O’Neal, who felt the four-time DPOY did not deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.
Gobert getting posterized
Standing at 7’1″, it would be hard to fathom Gobert being put on a poster. However, the big Frenchman did have some of these moments throughout his career. One such incident that garnered significant attention involved Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun throwing down a two-handed slam.
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Hyped up, the 6’6″ guard was seen bumping his shoulder into Gobert’s chest, who in turn caught him by the neck and swung him sideways. Consequently, both players received double technical fouls. Nonetheless, Gobert and the Wolves ultimately prevailed with the win.
Over the years, Gobert has been criticized for his perceived lack of toughness as a big man. Fueling this narrative further are episodes of him being posterized by guards such as Jaylen Brown, Russell Westbrook, and DeMar DeRozan. Not the best look for a four-time DPOY.
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A rare moment when Shaq gave his flowers
The Timberwolves had a strong start to the 2025 playoffs, sending the Lakers home in the first round. Going on the road, Gobert stunned the crowds at the Crypto Arena, dropping 27 points and 24 rebounds in a series-clinching Game Five. He was a highly efficient 80 percent from the field. Nonetheless, the biggest surprise was yet to come, with O’Neal saying the following:
“Rudy Gobert is dominating, I’m happy for him.”
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A tough pill to swallow for O’Neal, who did give the Wolves big man his due. Nevertheless, this did not in any way imply that the four-time champion had mended his fences with Gobert. It seems like the 33-year-old still has a lot to do before getting the stamp of approval from the President of the Big Man Alliance.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.