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Rudy Gobert Responds To Shaq’s Trash Talk About Not Being Able To Guard Him

Host Shaquille O'Neal attends Shaq's Fun House on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP)

Old head versus new head.

On the latest episode of his Big Podcast With Shaq, Shaquille O’Neal’s co-host Anthony “Spice” Adams claimed Rudy Gobert could hold the Big Diesel to 12 points if the two faced off in their respective primes. Shaq didn’t take too kindly to that take, and he fired back with a funny quip.

“I wonder what French barbecue chicken tastes like,” he said. “… Like I said, I’m backing his little skinny ass down. I’m throwing a bow, and I’m dunking.”

“12 points? Yeah, in the first three minutes,” Shaq said. “Let me tell you something, man. It’s against my religion for somebody to hold me one-on-one. I take that personally. I do.”

Shaq went on to describe how he would attack Gobert on the floor.

“First play of the game I always used to look and see what the defense is going to do. Like ‘Okay, he’s doubling from Spice [Adams]. Spice is going to be wide open for the jumper,” he explained. “Like, I always look at the first play. But if I get it and nobody’s coming, I take that as a sign of disrespect.”

O’Neal continued, “You know what I’m going to do to him? He’s a shot blocker. You can’t shoot a shot. You’ve got to back his little skinny ass up under the rim. Show him the ‘bow so he gets scared and just go up.”

It didn’t take long before Gobert caught wind of Shaq’s comments.

The Utah Jazz center took to Instagram on Monday and fired back at O’Neal’s claims, saying:

“I would lock his ass up.”

Shaq and Gobert clearly have a lot of fun going at each other, but I’m giving Prime Shaq the edge.


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