Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard have shared a tumultuous relationship marked by public spats and underlying tension. In theory, they should be good friends. Both of them are fun-loving personalities, both have a shared history with the Magic and the Lakers, and are mentioned among the best centers of their eras.
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However, the reality is far from that. What started off as light jabs slowly turned into a never-ending roast session, with Shaq rarely passing up an opportunity to clown Howard, especially when it comes to legacy.
In his first year of eligibility, Howard has been elected as a first-ballot member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news, outlining some of Howard’s accomplishments. He wrote, “Howard was an 8-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA, 3-time Defensive Player of Year, a 2020 NBA champion, and won one Olympic gold medal with Team USA.”
Dwight Howard has been elected as a first-ballot member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, sources tell ESPN. Howard was an 8-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA, 3-time Defensive Player of Year, a 2020 NBA champion, and won one Olympic gold medal with Team USA. pic.twitter.com/PMcyw6Izew
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 5, 2025
In this moment of celebration, Howard was bound to be bombarded with congratulatory messages. However, no one would’ve had Shaq congratulating Howard on their bingo card. Shocking everyone, the big fella posted multiple stories about ‘Superman’ on his Instagram story. He also shared ESPN’s post announcing his HOF news.
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The other story Shaq has put up includes a highlight reel of Howard’s career. Considering the number of shots they have taken at each other over the years, it’s quite a shocker to see Shaq acknowledging Howard’s contribution to the game, his legacy, and the biggest honor any basketball player can receive.
What?! Shaq sharing Dwight's HOF news pic.twitter.com/gKfHYxaYCl
— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) April 5, 2025
Seeing the long standing fued between the two legendary bigs, many, including us, are wondering whether Shaq is alright, or if someone else took his phone and posted from his IG?
The feud between them started over the use of the moniker ‘Superman.’ Shaq had claimed that title for a long time. However, when Howard entered the league, being called Superman suited him because of his high-flying athleticism. Shaq felt jealous and disrespected that another player was trying to take his moniker from him.
This led to a long string of back-and-forth between the two. They exchanged several shots on their podcasts, which further fueled the bitter feelings. However, Howard once tried to bury the hatchet by inviting the big fella to his podcast. Unfortunately, his efforts didn’t bear any positive results. Now, with Shaq’s congratulatory gesture, it might be the right time for them to put this thing to bed once and for all.