Imagine holding a rare NBA feat and still being referred to as the WOAT. It’s nothing but a title given to the worst player ever to take the hardwood in the league. It could be anyone, but it definitely can’t be Rudy Gobert. The 7 ‘1 Frenchman, who had a tough last few months, received another brutal troll from his off-court rival, Shaquille O’Neal. While media veterans chimed in to offer a solution to the big man to save himself from disruptors, history suggests otherwise.

Almost every NBA devotee knows the frequent crossfire between Shaq and Gobert for a long time. Following the 2024 postseason criticisms, the LA Lakers legend carried it to the Paris Olympics. Reacting to one of Gobert’s misjudgments near the rim, the Big Aristotle shared an image of the French man morphed as a ‘Walmart cashier’ to troll him.

While the meme made rounds on the internet for a few days, Shaq has come up with another troll. In a recent video released by Complex alongside his son, Myles O’Neal, the big man made a controversial opinion. Responding to his son’s query, the legend named him the WOAT. 

Rudy Gobert, who remained tightlipped for the most part, decided to hit back with a strong descent via X handle. He criticized Shaq for trolling to “stay relevant”. In the wake of the brewing controversy, media veteran Zach Lowe offered a one-stop solution to end the trolling. Speaking on the latest episode of ESPN’s NBA Today, Lowe said, “At this point, I think,  it’s going to take winning a Championship.” He also added, “He’s a very good player. The hate is sort of strange to me. Rudy must be used to it by now because it seems to be pretty universal around the NBA.” 

While an NBA ring is something that is missing in Gobert’s cabinet, will winning it end the trauma? Especially for a man who has already accomplished big with 4 DPOY awards. Let’s find out.

Will a championship ring silence Shaq from trolling Rudy Gobert?

Before heading into the ring’s affair, there is something that is often overlooked. In his 11-season-long NBA career, Rudy Gobert has won 4x DPOY awards, which is of course a rare feat. So far in the history of the league, only three players have won it four times: Ben Wallace, Dikembe Mutombo, and Gobert. Moreover, on a statistical lens, the Frenchman achieved the feat with better figures. Nevertheless, the point here is that despite holding an NBA record for his backcourt prowess, it didn’t stop the trollers from hating on the big man.

Especially, Shaquille O’Neal, who has already secured his legacy as one of the most dominant big men, never failed to trash centers. It didn’t start with Gobert, but Shaq has shown his tricks to Al Horford, JaVale McGee, and Dwight Howard. Notably, Howard stands at the second spot with 3x DPOY awards and a championship ring. So, it’s evident that winning a ring certainly won’t stop the disruptors from trolling the star.

If it was only about the accomplishments, Shaq and the other trollers could’ve stopped attacking the moment Gobert won his first DPOY. At the same time, if one award isn’t enough, they could’ve stopped after the second and third time. However, it never was the case even after winning the fourth award. Even if the big man goes on to win the championship ring in the upcoming season, the troll gang might come up with reasons to disregard it.

A few days back, Shaq still kept his receipts for Howard. The big man took to his IG stories and shared a video of Howard losing the ball in a pickup game. Interestingly, 8x All-Star 3x DPOY, and a ring didn’t stop him from trolling even after he joined CBA. It’s just an instance proving that Gobert’s championship won’t make a difference.

Tough days ahead of Rudy Gobert

As we discuss the championship, the Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t far from the conversation. The sudden rise of Anthony Edwards has paid dividends for the side, as he led the team to a deeper postseason run after 20 years. In the last season, the team fell short in the Conference Finals. And, heading into the 2024-25 season, Ant-Man & Co. still has the potential to come on top as the favorites.

However, this would mean only one thing. If at all, the Wolves manage to win the ring in the upcoming season, the critics will plunge forward to take Rudy Gobert off the conversation. The credits for the victory will undoubtedly go to the Michael Jordan-look alike or Karl-Anthony Towns or maybe even to the Sixth Man of the Year winner, Naz Reid, but not Gobert.

So Zach Lowe’s idea to stop the constant troll aimed at Gobert has flunked at face value. What do you think will save the French man from the adversity? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.