Rudy Gobert has strong response to latest shade from Shaq

Feb 24, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) warms up before the game against the Phoenix Suns at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Shaquille O’Neal recently reiterated that he does not think there is any way Rudy Gobert would have been able to cover him if the two played during the same era. Simply put, the Utah Jazz star does not agree.

During an episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq” this week, O’Neal’s co-host Spice Adams suggested that Gobert could have held Shaq in check if the two played against one another. Adams said Gobert would be able to hold O’Neal to 12 points, and Shaq said he could score that “in the first three minutes” against Gobert.

“You know what I’m gonna do to him?” Shaq said. “He’s a shot-blocker. You can’t shoot a shot. You gotta back his little skinny a– up under the rim and then show him the [elbow] so he get scared and then just go up and dunk it in his face.”

Gobert says he would not be intimidated. He responded to Shaq’s commentary in an Instagram comment and said he would “lock his a– up” (edited by LBS for profanity).

Rudy fires back at Shaq in our comments 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/ReqZZ6Z6WZ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2022

The NBA was totally different during Shaq’s prime. Gobert is a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, but he probably would not have enjoyed the same success in O’Neal’s era. The game was a lot more physical then, and Shaq was one of the most dominant low-post forces in basketball history. Nobody could stop him without help. There is no reason to think Gobert would enjoy much success against O’Neal.

Shaq has criticized Gobert numerous times over the years. There may be one thing in particular that bothers him about the Jazz star, but Rudy is not going to let the Hall of Famer bully him.