In the latest episode of the ‘OGs Show’, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal continued his longstanding rivalry with 4x Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. During a chat with former league forward Udonis Haslem, O’Neal points to one moment during the Olympic games to explain why he’s so harsh toward the veteran French big man.
Shaquille O’Neal: “When I got to Los Angeles, all they did was compare me and Kareem. Kareem said one day ‘Shaq may be good but they not winning no championships.’ That motherf****r is a G20 classification. You think I’mma go back at Kareem? He’s right! So, all the stuff I’m saying about Rudy [Gobert], if you don’t think I’m right look at this play right here. Why would somebody fall and you grab their knees and put your head between their knees and put your head between their legs? What the f**k was that?”
Udonis Haslem: “That was weird, I didn’t understand that… both of us are coming down, I’ll tackle your a** and all of us are rolling on the ground.”
“When I got to LA, all they did was compared me to Kareem.” 😳
Shaq x OGs full podcast out now here: https://t.co/dGJfPnPozv pic.twitter.com/TBR8qypokV
— The OGs Show (@theOGsShow) September 17, 2024
The play O’Neal mentions here happened during the Paris Olympic games this summer when Team USA and France faced off for the gold medal game. At some point during the match, during a dead-ball situation, Rudy Gobert grabbed Joel Embiid and shoved his head in between his legs. O’Neal posted about it at the time as fans everywhere mocked the bizarre encounter.
France would go on to lose the game and Gobert finished the contest with just 2 points in 12 minutes. To this day, he hasn’t offered a proper explanation for what happened on the court.
Of course, O’Neal was quick to use it as more fuel for his anti-Gobert rhetoric. The 4x champion has been a staunch critic of Rudy for years now, citing his game as soft and his character as weak. Shaq detests how Rudy plays and how his nonchalant attitude has somehow netted him over $217 million in his career.
For one reason or another, Shaq is always finding an excuse to blast the Timberwolves center, and while Rudy does occasionally fight back with trash talk of his own, he usually doesn’t even bother.
For Rudy, the best way to get revenge on Shaq and stick it to the haters once and for all is to prove himself useful on the court and step up when his team needs him the most. After averaging 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last season, Gobert earned himself back in the good grace of the fans but it’ll take more to gain the respect of Shaq.
For one, Rudy will have to quit the theatrics on the court and play with more strength, passion, and physicality around the rim. He needs to use his size and height to intimidate his opponents instead of trying to troll them behind their backs.
Most importantly, Gobert will have to get it done in the playoffs before Shaquille O’Neal starts to give him any credit. So far, he’s come back empty in every single attempt. Hopefully, with Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns at his side, Gobert can help the Timberwolves achieve a different result next season.
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