“A lot of when I throw jabs people think it’s hate… It’s my job to push the needle” - Shaquille O'Neal says he respects Rudy Gobert after the latter clarifies that he has no beef with Shaq

A massive debate had broken out on whether Rudy Gobert could defend Shaq in his prime in the NBA circle. Gobert finally came forward to squash the beef with Shaquille O'Neal also saying that he respects the former Defensive Player of the Year.

Shaquille O'Neal was almost unstoppable in his prime and one of the most dominant centers in NBA history. Still, Rudy Gobert felt he could have stopped the big man if they had played against one another and that sparked an entire debate .

However, the two centers have now moved past the issue with their recent comments.

During a recent appearance for Bleacher Report, Shaquille O'Neal spoke about his position after Rudy Gobert clarified that he had to believe that he could lock Shaq up; otherwise, he would not stand a chance of challenging the legend.

"You know what Rudy, let me tell you something. I respect that. I do. A lot of when I throw jabs, people think it’s hate, but I'm just challenging them because this thing we have right now is so good. If it continues to be great, everybody will prosper. That's how you have to look at it."

Shaq believes that the history and the future of the NBA are built on this mentality, and it is his job to push the needle and move the game forward.

"Before I came in, it was great. When I came in, it was still great. Those guys left, we made it greater. We're still here, it's the greatest game ever. We leave, oh Kobe's here, made it greater. It's a great thing we have, so it's my job to push the needle."

While the world will never know what would happen if the two decorated big men went head-to-head, the debate has elevated the profile of Rudy Gobert.

Rudy Gobert is one of the best defenders in the NBA

Rudy Gobert's defense and shot-blocking are elite, but prime Shaquille O'Neal was a different beast.

Something that has been forgotten during the debate is that Gobert is one of the most decorated defenders of his generation.

Gobert is tied for third all-time in the defensive player of the year awards and is only one more win away from being tied for the most in league history.

As for Shaq, he played in the era of the two leaders for the most defensive player of the year awards, and found success against both.