Kendrick Perkins and Shaquille O’Neal have never exactly seen eye to eye.
Perkins has long accused Shaq — and Inside the NBA partner Charles Barkley — of not really watching the games. He’s been especially critical of Barkley, but over time, he’s taken plenty of shots at Shaq, too. And considering O’Neal’s increasingly personal feuds with seemingly every modern big man, it’s not hard to understand why.
Before Shaq set his sights on Rudy Gobert, he was already trading barbs with Kendrick Perkins. That tension never really went away, though Shaq hasn’t (yet) declared how much he “f*cking hates” Perk or questioned ESPN’s salary structure. He has, however, taken issue with how much Gobert makes, and that’s what caused Perkins to fire back.
“It seems like every single time it’s always an old head bringing up what this new generation is getting paid,” Perkins said on his Road Trippin’ podcast with Richard Jefferson and Allie Clifton. “Why? Rudy Gobert makes $250 million. We just addressed Kenyon Martin and Gilbert Arenas talking about Chet Holmgren getting $250 million. Let them guys get paid. Shaq, you in my eyes, Shaquille O’Neal is the most dominant player to ever play the game of basketball. Some may argue, but as far as pure dominance, that’s who he is.
“Rudy is not you, bro, and that’s OK! You can’t expect Rudy to go out there to put 24 and 20 — that’s not who he is. He is a 4-time Defensive Player of the Year. And when you look at the numbers, when Rudy is on the floor, he has that type of impact. Has he won a championship yet? No. Has he been able to lead a team like Ben Wallace was anchoring the defense? He hasn’t. I’m just getting tired of every single time — and look, I’m very critical of players in the way that they perform, critiquing their game if they’re not getting sh*t done. But I’ve never ever, ever, ever f*cking counted somebody else’s pockets, or tell the world what another player or these players shouldn’t be getting.”
“It’s a job first, but I want these guys to max out,” Perkins added. “I always tell guys when I see them, these players that are playing today, ‘Make sure you get your f*cking lettuce.’ Get your lettuce.”
Perkins isn’t against holding modern players accountable — far from it. He’s been vocal about his issues with stars sitting out, demanding trades, or coasting through the regular season. But what he won’t do is tear down this generation for cashing in on the league’s financial growth.
On the other hand, Perkins wants to honor the generations that came before, the ones who built the foundation and passed the torch. His biggest gripe with today’s players, unlike Shaq, isn’t about money, but about responsibility. He doesn’t want this generation screwing it up for the next by abusing the system.
That’s where Perkins draws his line. He’s not blindly defending today’s stars. He just wants the criticism to be fair. And when it comes to Rudy Gobert, he thinks the disrespect has gone way too far.
“Rudy is who he is. If Ben Wallace got into the Hall of Fame, Rudy is getting into the Hall of Fame,” said Perkins. “I know Ben Wallace has a ring, but if you’re matching them up side by side when we’re talking about accolades, both are four-time Defensive Player of the Year(s). That’s a huge f*cking impact. Rudy just gotta get over that hump. But, again, people don’t value what Rudy brings to the table because they don’t see how much ground he covers, or how many drives he stops without blocking a shot, or whatever the case may be. The point is: the man has been more than a star in his role, found his place in the NBA, and he’s dominated at it… The facts are the man has four f*cking Defensive Player of the Year’s. That’s who he is.”
And who is he to Shaq? Apparently, still not good enough.
O’Neal has never missed a chance to belittle Gobert’s game — or his paycheck — and it’s become a running bit that’s worn thin. To Perkins, that kind of criticism not only sounds bitter but also completely ignores what defensive dominance actually looks like in today’s NBA. You don’t have to score 30 a night to matter. And Gobert’s resume, like it or not, has probably already earned a place in Springfield, Massachusetts.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.