"I f**king hate Rudy Gobert": Shaquille O'Neal vows to wear a dress to 4x DPOY's Hall of Fame induction

Shaquille O'Neal has been critical of Rudy Gobert over the past few years. The LA Lakers legend said in 2022 that the Frenchman did not deserve the five-year, $205 million max deal he received from the Utah Jazz. The Hall of Famer added that Gobert would have had no chance against him had they played against each other.

O’Neal re-ignited his feud with Gobert on Thursday in the latest episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq.”

“ I f**king hate Rudy Gobert because that motherf**ker making $250 [million]. He don’t deserve it, dawg. … If Rudy Gobert gets into the Hall of Fame, I’ll wear this dress to the motherf**king ceremony.”

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O’Neal emphasized that with the amount of money Gobert has earned, the Minnesota Timberwolves center should play like a big man. The four-time NBA champ added that the four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner should not let guards dunk on him.

Shaquille O'Neal was ultra confident that Gobert would not make it to the Hall of Fame [HOF], hence the claim to wear a dress. O’Neal added that if Gobert is inducted into the HOF, he would ask the body to remove his name and “rip” his jersey out.

Besides winning the DPOY four times, Gobert is a three-time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA team member, and has earned eight All-NBA Defensive team selections. Co-host Adam Lefkoe thought Gobert has the resume to earn a HOF nod. O'Neal dismissed the achievements, which he said were not good enough.

Fans react to Shaquille O'Neal’s claim that he would wear a dress if Rudy Gobert goes to the Hall of Fame

With millions of followers on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), Shaquille O'Neal’s claim promptly went viral. Fans quickly reacted to what he said about Rudy Gobert:

One fan said:

Another fan added:

One more fan continued:

Another fan commented:

Shaquille O'Neal has never been one to shy away from a back-and-forth on social media, while Gobert usually holds back. The feud between the two just went a notch higher after O’Neal’s latest attack on the Frenchman. Based on the fans’ reactions, they can’t wait to hear from Gobert.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero