Shaquille O'Neal explains why he thinks Rudy Gobert is overrated / News - Basketnews.com

According to Shaq, Gobert's excellence as a weakside defender doesn't make him the DPOY. In order to impress the Hall of Famer, Gobert would have to limit Nikola Jokic to under 15 points in a direct matchup.

Credit: Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP, AP Photo/Abbie Parr - Scanpix Credit Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP, AP Photo/Abbie Parr - Scanpix

Rudy Gobert is a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. However, Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal doesn't think he's that good of a defender.

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In the latest episode ofThe Big Podcast with Shaq, the legendary center invited Mario Chalmers, who played as a starting point guard for the Miami Heat during championship years in the 2010s. When Chalmers said he would give the DPOY trophy to Miami's Bam Adebayo, Shaq almost immediately agreed that it shouldn't go to Gobert.

"I never thought he was a great defensive player, either. What it is, there's not a lot of centers that are making him play defense. He's not doing it against Joker because he has to be engaged. But when he's going against another guy, he's 7'6, of course, if you lay it up, he's going to block it," Shaq said.

"Defense to me is - guard that m***, shut him down. You want to impress me? Hold Joker under 15 points. Now you're playing. All that weakside blocking shots, that's cool but it ain't going to work against guys like me and Joker and Embiid," the Hall of Famer explained.

According to O'Neal, the top NBA defensive player should be able to match up against multiple positions and do it effectively. As such, he would give the DPOY trophy to Adebayo as well.

"Bam plays people. Bam plays two to three to four and the five. I would give it to him, too," he said.

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