Rudy Gobert considers Shaq's opinion about him being the World Of All Time to be "sad."

No matter that Rudy Gobert has won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year accolades and remains one of the Timberwolves main stars heading into 2024-25, many of his peers and even NBA Hall-of-Famers still view him as underappreciated; therefore he didn’t appreciate when Shaquille O’Neal labeled him “worst player ever”.
Rudy decided to voice his opinions via social media: “It is saddening for someone of your accomplishments in both sport and business to still feel threatened by another’s financial success and achievements.
“I understand your desire for entertainment but unlike others, you don’t require such things in order to stay relevant,” Gobert wrote in response to Shaq’s comment, and although many saw his remarks as harshly criticizing Shaq and lashing back out against him personally; Gobert seems more objective and measured with his comments; they don’t appear hostile or dismissive but simply put into perspective who Shaq really is and his worthiness as an icon player for Lakers legends such as himself.

Rudy Gobert went off on Shaq for calling him one of the worst players ever — which got Rudy fired up! Here is their Twitter exchange between Rudy Gobert and Shaq: pic.twitter.com/4AuG0Ys87B (@HoopMixOnly). September 5, 2024.

Many fans and experts have long considered Gobert overrated, yet no one had taken such drastic measures as to compare him with some of the worst players to ever compete in the league until O’Neal went on a podcast show with Myles O’Neal for Complex. This series began.
O’Neal participated in YouTube channel GOAT Talk program and was asked, “Who do you consider to be the worst NBA player of all-time?” Without hesitation he answered with Rudy Gobert; while Shaq added: ‘Ben Simmons is another jerk.”
Gobert signed his deal with the T-Wolves in December while still with Utah Jazz, with all guaranteed money included as part of it.
Gobert had won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards prior to signing that contract and earned another last season by averaging 2.1 blocks and 9.2 defensive rebounds per game with Minnesota.
Shaq attempted to justify his position by contending that players like Gobert and Simmons did not deserve the contracts being given them.
Shaq added his perspective on this delicate matter by asserting: “If someone signs a contract for $250 million, show me proof they deserve it. One reason my legs move funny, why I cannot turn my neck is due to hard work I put in for $120 million whereas guys like him screw over the system by making all this money but are then not available to play basketball any longer; therefore I do not respect players like him,” Shaq explained.
“Every time I make these comments, people think I am criticizing, but these are facts,” Shaquille noted.
O’Neal provides an insightful perspective, having been one of the greatest players ever seen on an NBA court and his opponents resorting to anything possible to stop him – something for which Shaq, having spent 20 years across six franchises in his time in the league knows all too well.