Shaquille O’Neal has never been the kind to shy away from firing some shots, and he was at it again during an appearance on Sundae Conversation. Host Caleb Pressley asked O’Neal (DJ Diesel) to name the NBA player for the DJ names he’d provide, and the results were quite interesting.
Caleb Pressley: “DJ unleaded.”
Shaquille O’Neal: “Rudy Gobert.”
Pressley: “DJ low fuel.”
O’Neal: “Joel Embiid.”
Pressley: “DJ just at the gas station to use the bathroom.”
O’Neal: “Ben Simmons.”
Pressley: “If Yao Ming was a DJ, what kind of music would Yao Ming DJ?”
O’Neal: “I don’t think I’m allowed to say.”
Pressley: “What kind of music would Chauncey Billups play?”
O’Neal: “Music that you can bet on.”
That was ruthless.
O’Neal went after Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert first, and he has taken so many shots at the Frenchman over the years. The biggest one was probably when he said that Gobert is the worst player in NBA history.
O’Neal ripped Ben Simmons back then as well, stating that he makes all the money in the world and can’t play. He has also wildly said Simmons should be arrested for robbery, given how little he has produced on the court for all the money he has made.
As for Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, O’Neal has called him soft in the past for not playing back-to-backs, which is probably why he named him for low fuel. He doesn’t consider Embiid to be a top big man in the NBA anymore, either.
O’Neal does have some respect for Yao Ming, so he kept his mouth shut, but fellow Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups wasn’t so fortunate. Billups had been arrested in Oct. 2025 as part of an investigation into rigged underground poker games backed by the Mafia. He has pleaded not guilty, and only time will tell how this situation pans out.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Top Four Players In The NBA
While O’Neal was firing shots on the show, he showed some love to today’s players recently. Here’s what he had to say when asked to name the five best players in the NBA.
“[Nikola Jokic] would be one,” O’Neal said. “[Victor Wembanyama] would be two. You got Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. You still got to put LeBron [James] in there. And I’m not sure on the fifth spot, but listen, the league is in good hands. It’s a lot of great players… I don’t really like answering because you leaving people out.”
With how often O’Neal thrashes today’s players, it was a bit of a surprise to hear him say that the NBA is in good hands. As for the list, LeBron James being there was unexpected.
James is averaging 22.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26. The 41-year-old was rightly not named a starter for the All-Star Game for the first time in 21 years, as he hasn’t been playing at that level.
The three others O’Neal mentioned would be in the top five for most. Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been viewed as two of the very best players in the NBA for years, while Victor Wembanyama has thrust himself into that mix this season.
