What would happen if four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert played each other, especially if it was back when Shaq was in his prime?
The Utah Jazz big man is listed at 7-foot-1 and 245 pounds with a 7-foot-9 wingspan. Shaq, meanwhile, was listed at 7-foot-1 and 325 pounds (although he has said that it neared 400 at times) with a reported 7-foot-7 wingspan.
Over the last few years, O’Neal has taken plenty of cheap shots at Gobert, with the latest coming this week (see below).
Now, it’s gotten to a point where we might have to settle the score.
The perfect person to weigh in on this was Dwyane Wade. Not only did Wade win a title with Shaq in 2006, but he often appears on TNT alongside O’Neal. He also recently purchased a minority stake in the Jazz franchise.
Wade suggested that Gobert and O’Neal settle their differences on the court at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, which will be held at the Vivint Arena in Utah.
Hopefully, we see Gobert and O’Neal play each other in the weirdest one-on-one game of all time.
Even if both were in their prime, neither player ever had a jump shot, and neither player could ever dribble. O’Neal retired from professional basketball over ten years ago, and it’s hard to imagine he’s in the physical condition to compete against an All-Star caliber player.
It probably won’t happen, but we can hope it does! Until then, let’s take a look at the history of the drama between these two guys.
Shaq tells Gobert to 'man up' after All-Star snub (Feb. '19)
A few years ago, O’Neal offered his first comments about Gobert.
When Gobert learned he was not selected to make the All-Star team in 2019, the big man (who won Defensive Player of the Year in that same season) got emotional and wiped away tears.
O’Neal was asked what he thought about the response from Gobert, and his instinct was to make fun of him (via TMZ):
“There is no crying in basketball … Maybe he was sad he didn’t make it, but it happens like that sometimes. I remember when I made it fifteen years in a row and the last year I didn’t make it, I guess I wasn’t good enough. But that’s not something to cry about … Man up, put some icy hot on your face.”
O’Neal’s comments to “man up” and “put some icy hot on your face” were the first of many jabs the four-time NBA champion would lob toward Gobert.
Shaq laments Gobert's contract (Jan. '21)
The next time we heard about Shaq and Gobert, it was about money.
Shaq made an appearance on the All Things Covered Podcast, and he discussed Gobert’s contract, which he believes is ridiculously high for someone who has such offensive limitations:
“I’m not gonna hate, but this should be an inspiration to all the little kids out there. You average 11 points in the NBA, you can get $200 million.”
“He’s got a great agent, and I’m happy for him and his family,” he continued. “With the new rules, you have a pot of money, you have to spend that money. I’m happy for him, but this is a moment for a lot of kids who think they can’t make it.”
Shortly after that, O’Neal nearly walked off the set when his TNT co-host, Kenny Smith, said Gobert was one of the best big men in the league.
Potentially to enrage O’Neal for the reaction, or simply in jest, Charles Barkley told Shaq that if he played against Gobert, the Utah big man would block his shot into the front row.
Barkley and Smith noted that Gobert has multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, but O’Neal said he doesn’t care about individual awards — he only cares about team success. In fairness to O’Neal, Shaq has just one MVP award — but four NBA championship rings.
Gobert says there is 'no beef' but Shaq doesn't relent (Jan. '21)
When Shaq talks about you, his platform is large enough that you’ll eventually hear about it.
As word got back to Gobert that O’Neal was criticizing him, the Utah big man took to Twitter:
“There is no beef. If people wanna keep speaking negatively about me or keep discrediting what i do it’s on them and all that does is show who they are. I will always be happy for a brother beating the odds. And i’m gonna keep beating the odds.”
However, over the next few days, Shaq opted not to back down.
O’Neal liked a tweet in which Gobert was called Baguette Biyombo.
Then, shortly after that, he provided analysis for a game between the Mavericks and the Nuggets. Gobert doesn’t play for either team, yet O’Neal still found a way to invoke Gobert’s massive contract and lack of scoring prowess.
Shaq admits he is jealous of Gobert (April '21)
During an interview with Rex Chapman, O’Neal got candid and introspective about his beef with Gobert (via Basketball News):
“I’m jealous, but I’m happy ,” Shaq said. “I’m jealous because I always thought that you had to have Michael-Jordan, superb-type numbers to get that type of money. That’s what it was in my era, but I’m happy for the kids. The reason why I bring up Rudy Gobert, people think I’m hating, it’s not. He’s a good big man, but I’m used to dealing with great big men.”
O’Neal also offered a scouting report on Gobert’s game, and reiterated that Gobert could be a role model for those who aren’t as talented as Kobre and LeBron:
“Rudy Gobert is not the average-type, big-guy NBA player anymore. The average big they’re looking for now is a guy that can pick-and-pop and do whatever. Rudy Gobert is big, tall, plays hard, plays great defense, a Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s making $200 million. So, all you big guys out there, look at him. Follow him. You’re not going to be LeBron, you’re not going to be Kobe, you’re not going to be Shaq, you’re not going to be Garnett, but I think there’s a lot of big guys even today that can do the things that he can do. When I tell the story, people think, ‘Oh you’re just jealous!’ Yeah, I am jealous that he’s making $250 . Yeah, I’ll say I’m jealous. However, for this game of ours, it can motivate a young kid today… All these guys that are watching, this is what motivates them.”
So maybe all of this comes from a place of envy and jealousy?
The following month, on his podcast, Shaq doubled down and said that he would make “Rudy Gobert numbers” in his contract if he played today.
Shaq says he wants Gobert to plays with a vengeance against him (Sept. '21)
Before this season began, O’Neal said to Stephen A. Smith he believed Utah was a legitimate threat to win the championship.
Shaq said the plan was to go so hard against Gobert this year, the Utah big man would come out and play with a “vengeance” against him.
O’Neal, who was ripped for doing something similar when he criticized Gobert’s teammate Donovan Mitchell, is on record with Yahoo Sports saying these criticisms are meant to fuel the players.
Shaq makes fun of Gobert for getting stung by a bee (April '22)
Alright, I’ll admit it. While I find the idea of O’Neal criticizing Gobert’s contract a little silly, this was my favorite time that Shaq called out the French big man.
Although he had recently admitted Gobert should get twice as many field goal attempts per game, O’Neal was all jokes with this one.
Before Utah was eliminated from the playoffs, Gobert was stung by a bee. Shaq was confused about why Gobert was messing with bees on game day, and frankly, I am too.
Gobert finally fires back! (May 2022)
Shaq’s co-host, Spice Adams, recently told O’Neal that Gobert would hold him to a dozen points if the two played each other.
O’Neal, of course, wasn’t happy about the insinuation and fired back.
“12 points? Yeah, in the first three minutes. Let me tell you something, man. It’s against my religion for somebody to hold me one-on-one. I take that personally. I do.”
Finally, for the first time, Gobert had enough. The Utah star commented on Instagram that he would “lock his up” if he had to defend Shaq.