Imago
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 16: Shaquille O’Neal is seen at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on July 16, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Imago
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 16: Shaquille O’Neal is seen at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on July 16, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Shaquille O’Neal might have dominated the league in his playing days, but nowadays Shaq has become a renowned analyst of the game. While Shaq does offer some valuable insight about the game, he has had his fair share of criticisms.
Diesel has often been accused of being overly critical of some players. This is especially valid for top centers in the league. It started with 76ers’ center Dwight Howard, then it was Nuggets’ center JaVale McGee and now the latest to join the list is Rudy Gobert.
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Shaquille O’Neal takes yet another dig at Utah Jazz superstar Rudy Gobert
Earlier this year, the Utah Jazz did not make any massive trades or signings but knew that they had to lock down two of their superstars in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
While Mitchell is the offensive powerhouse for the team, Gobert is a defensive juggernaut for Utah. Given how essential the Frenchman is to the team, Utah made sure that Gobert stayed with the team.
As a result, the 2-time Defensive Player of the Year was rewarded with a massive 5-year contract worth a mind-boggling $205 million.
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 1, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts after a basket against the LA Clippers in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
One of the first people to criticize the 3-time All-Star was Shaq. But the beef supposedly ended as Gobert did not comment on the same and let his work do the talking.
But Shaq doesn’t seem interested in giving him a break. In a recent episode in the Big podcast with Shaq, he said that he would be putting up the same numbers as Gobert if he currently played in the league. The big man also claimed that he would be worth a whopping $300 million.
“There’s footage of me being the black Steph Curry. I’m 1-22 from three-point line. If I was playing today, I’d be making Rudy Gobert numbers. If I was shooting 1-22 now, I’d be making $300 million.”
While Shaq might continue to be critical of the Frenchman, the 28-year-old is integral to Jazz. A dominant rebounder and a defensive beast, Gobert might not be anywhere near the quality Shaq was, but his immense defensive presence is invaluable to the franchise.
Can Gobert silence critics like Shaq and help the Jazz win the NBA championship?
