Shaquille O’Neal and Rudy Gobert’s beef has been simmering for a while, but now it’s boiling over. During an appearance on Complex’s GOAT Talk with his son Myles, Shaq didn’t hold back, calling Gobert the worst player in NBA history. And just like that, Gobert had enough and fired back at the 4x NBA champion. Now, the drama has roped in Jeff Teague and his co-hosts from the Club 520 Podcast, adding more fuel to the fire with their takes on the ongoing feud.

American media personality and presenter Joe Budden appeared on the podcast, and the Shaq vs. Gobert topic naturally came up. Co-host DJ Wells didn’t mince words, stating, “He [Shaq] hates him for sure.” Budden chimed in, admitting, “I like what Rudy said to him the other day. I did.” Then Jeff Teague jumped into the mix, pointing out that times have changed and maybe Shaq should, too.

He questioned Shaq’s apparent grudge, saying, “What do you want it to do? You want everybody to make the same money you made forever? Like that means no sacrifice for no reason because nobody gained from it.” Teague’s co-host, Bishop, didn’t hold back either, labeling Shaq as an “old head” and suggesting he should be more welcoming of the new generation. “You supposed to be embracing. You still make way more money than Rudy Gobert,” Bishop added in the podcast, highlighting the disconnect.

Gobert also echoed a similar voice. After Shaquille O’Neal’s harsh comments, the Frenchman took to social media, firing back with a pointed message: “It is sad to see someone that has accomplished as much as you did @SHAQ both in sport and business still be triggered by another man’s finances and accomplishments. I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant.”

via Reuters

And while Gobert’s line about “other folks” left room for speculation, many think it’s a subtle jab at none other than Draymond Green, who’s also been critical of Gobert, or perhaps even Gilbert Arenas. So, how did this Shaq-Gobert feud even start?

Shaquille O’Neal’s long beef with Rudy Gobert

Shaquille O’Neal has never been shy about criticizing today’s big men, often claiming he just wants to get under their skin. This beef began back in February 2019 when Gobert broke down in tears during a press conference after being snubbed from the All-Star team. Shaq’s reaction? He mocked the then-Jazz center, telling him to “man up” instead of crying.

Then, things really took off when Gobert signed a massive five-year, $205 million contract extension with the Jazz in 2020, the largest ever for a center at the time. Shaq couldn’t resist taking a swipe, sarcastically calling the deal an “inspiration.” He pointed out that Gobert’s stats didn’t scream superstar—averaging under 15 points per game—and suggested to young players that mediocrity could still earn them huge paydays in today’s NBA. But Shaq didn’t stop there.

In April 2021, the Hall of Famer admitted to feeling jealous of Gobert’s huge contract, a rare moment of honesty in their ongoing clash. Fast forward to August 2023, and a video of Gobert casually draining three-pointers at a French national team practice went viral. While he impressed fans, Shaq was anything but.

Instead, he was downright disgusted. O’Neal couldn’t understand why a player of Gobert’s size wasn’t honing his skills in the post, where Shaq believes all true centers belong. To make matters worse, the French national team didn’t even make it out of the group stages at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. For Shaq, it was just another reason to question Gobert’s priorities, and the beef shows no signs of cooling off anytime soon.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.