“Let Him Go”: Carmelo Anthony Comes to Rudy Gobert’s Defense With Clear Message for Shaquille O’Neal

On the hardwood, Shaquille O'Neal has always been known as a player who has never minced with his words. While his candidness has endeared him to many, but several times his bluntness and straightforwardness have landed him in hot water. From criticizing Kobe Bryant 's leadership skills to calling out Dwight Howard regarding the "Superman" moniker, there have been many instances that Shaq's outspoken nature has sparked controversies. And now, as his ongoing feud with Rudy Gobert was waving through the NBA, an unexpected voice has emerged to take the latter's side.

In the recent episode of the "7 pm in Brooklyn" podcast, Kid Mero asked his co-hosts about their opinion on whether retired players should judge the current ones based on the money that they are making. Surprisingly, this question fully aligned with the current feud that has been going on between Shaq and Rudy. Even though Carmelo Anthony had previously talked highly of the seven-footer, this time his words went for the Minnesota Timberwolves center. "It's not Rudy's fault, though. It's not his, I'ma let him go, but it's not Rudy's fault. Like, it's market value. You understand what I'm saying? So you're going off the market. Yeah, maybe a couple of guys shouldn't get paid," said Melo during the interview. But what was the feud actually about?

The 32-year-old center clinched a massive contract worth $205,000,002 for five years in 2022, when he was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves. This contract also boosted Gobert's name to appear in the list of the top 15 highest-paid players in the NBA. While it may have been happy news for the Frenchman, it wasn't for Shaq. In an interview with 'Complex' with his son Lyle, the former Los Angeles Lakers veteran, even though he was off by a few numbers, openly called out Gobert regarding the money that he was making. "I'm going to tell you why. Because if you sign a contract for 250, show me 250. There's a reason why I walk funny, why I can't turn my neck, and why I can't do it because I played for my 120," said Shaq during the interview. He even went on to acknowledge that most people with normal jobs weren't getting the right amount. However, Anthony gave a new perspective on this feud.

According to the 3x Olympic champion, a player shouldn't be judged on the money that he's making because, as years pass, the value for players is also increasing through the increment in the league's value. Upon that, Gobert, who has won four Defensive Player of the Year Awards, played 757 career games and has averaged 12.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game across his 10-year NBA career, shouldn't be considered as a player who is not worthy to get that amount of money. "It is sad to see someone that has accomplished as much as you did, both in sport and business, still be triggered by another man's finances and accomplishments," said Gobert in response to Shaq's comment through X.

Carmelo Anthony's defense of Rudy Gobert serves as a powerful reminder that even the most outspoken critics should exercise caution when making negative comments about players. While O'Neal's opinions may be entertaining, they can also be harmful, particularly when they target individuals who have worked hard to achieve their goals. However, Shaq, given his outspoken nature, didn't only stop with this one comment.

Shaquille O'Neal continued with his feud on another podcast After Rudy Gobert had shared his opinion through his X handle on the ongoing feud with Shaq, the whole debate was on a cool-down period. But not for long. The former NBA superstar fired back with a scathing rebuttal.

In his recent appearance on 'The OGs podcast', Shaq pointed out the problem with today's players, apparently targeting Gobert. According to him, he passes the comments to test the players to see if they improve themselves based on his opinions, but most of the time, they fail. So did the Minnesota Timberwolves center. "A lot of these big men, when I put out these challenges, they fail the test because they respond. They're sensitive," said Shaq during the podcast.

The exchange between Shaq and Gobert has quickly escalated into a heated debate, with fans and players alike weighing in on the issue. Only time will tell, if Gobert will go with Shaq's comments or if he will add more to the feud.

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.