NBA free agency is just a day away, and many players will be paid more and more as the market for players continues to go up.
Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal gave his honest opinion on players’ salaries nowadays on his “The Big Podcast.” O’Neal didn’t mince words, and even specifically called out Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert for being overpaid in his eyes.
“You think that I’m happy Rudy Gobert’s making 250 (million)? God d*** right we get mad, we get petty. I think it’s a little bit of truth in our criticism.”
Shaq didn't hold back 👀 pic.twitter.com/NcizQ1wI3W
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 28, 2022
Shaq has been known to be extremely critical of players in today’s NBA, and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant took exception to his comments, sticking up for Gobert. Durant appears to think that O’Neal should just mind his own business.
Shaquille is hilarious. You’re a billionaire bro lol https://t.co/11Bq3EIY6i
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 28, 2022
“Shaquille is hilarious. You’re a billionaire bro lol,” Durant tweeted in response on Tuesday.
Shaquille is hilarious. You’re a billionaire bro lol https://t.co/11Bq3EIY6i
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 28, 2022
O’Neal responded to Durant’s comment, saying that he is not a billionaire and that he will “always speak facts”.
“I know I’m hilarious, and I’m not a billionaire I’m actually broke. But will always speak facts. Thank you saying I’m funny means a lot.”
i know i'm hillarious, and i'm not a billionaire i'm actually broke. but will always speak facts. thank you saying i'm funny means a lot
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) June 28, 2022
Many around the NBA world agree with Durant and find it odd that O’Neal is hating on NBA players who are making big money in free agency.
Elite hating 😭😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/7icMPTk6l9
— baby AB 👶🏽 (@BabyABpr) June 29, 2022
https://twitter.com/guedesmjm/status/1542144289404321792
https://twitter.com/cevit0/status/1542156328684212225
maybe I need to seek out even more context for this quote but either way Shaq gotta be a first ballot member of the hater hall of fame https://t.co/rdO28T7LwG
— Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) June 29, 2022
It does seem a bit strange for O’Neal to be so against players getting paid considering he was a big part in the initial growth of player pay during his playing career.
And players’ current salaries are because the league is doing well. That equates to more money for O’Neal on media and endorsement deals in the long run. (And he seems to be doing fine financially, between his media work and his business ventures, which have at times covered 155 Five Guys franchises, 140 car washes, 17 Auntie Anne’s Pretzel’s locations, and nine Papa John’s franchises. He’s probably not “actually broke.”)
As O’Neal continues to get older, it appears that he is becoming more and more anti-player. That isn’t a great look for him in the eyes of the NBA world.
