Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard haven’t been on very good terms for a long time. The beef started when Howard was labeled as ‘Superman’ during the dunk contest, a nickname that O’Neal lovingly held. Since then, the Lakers legend has taken shots on several occasions at the former NBA player. However, coming across a clip on Instagram comparing Dwight Howard to Victor Wembanyama, the big man shockingly took Dwight’s side, announcing him as the far better prospect at 19.
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Shaq wasn’t exactly Howard’s best friend during the latter’s time in the NBA. However, ever since he made his way to the Taiwanese league, O’Neal has seemingly been a lot harsher on him. Insulting his team, the Taoyuan Leopards, ‘the Big Diesel’ once announced that Dwight was on the worst team in Taiwan. Further, he went to discredit any statistics the player had been putting up in the country, alleging that they were meaningless, considering their record.
While his words were harsh, it is true that the Leopards finished last (6th) in their table, having won just 6 of their 30 games during the season.
Shaquille O’Neal backs Dwight Howard in hypothetical battle against Victor Wembanyama
Ever since Victor Wembanyama stepped into the NBA, fans have been beyond excited to see how he performs over the course of the NBA season. In fact, the hype has even gone to the point that some believe he is better than Howard ever was at 19 years old.
Many have vehemently disagreed with this notion, including multiple former NBA players. And among them now stands Shaquille O’Neal as well, as his repost of a clip on Instagram revealed.
It is rare to see Shaq of all people stand up for Howard. However, it is hard to deny his opinion on this hypothetical matchup.
At the age of 19, being 6’9″, Dwight was a force of nature. Not only did he have the physical strength to bully any opponent, but the man could also leap out of the gym. Compared to that, while Victor Wembanyama does have potential, he is still a bit raw.
His body is beyond skinny, susceptible to bully-ball from bigger centers. And while his 7’5″ frame and dexterity at his size are something beyond generational, there is still the chance that he lacks the body control required for him to be as good as Howard at 19 years old.
Admittedly, despite all of Wembanyama’s talent, we’d be hard-pressed to call this a ‘debate.’
Shaq has been on Howard’s side off-late
Has old age given Shaquille O’Neal a softer outlook on the world? Despite spending most of his years criticizing Dwight Howard for even the smallest mistakes, the big man has recently been reeling it back. In fact, the big man has even been using his Instagram stories to give the former NBA man some much-needed credit. He recently re-shared an IG post that said the following about Howard.
“Dwight Howard, a player who dominated the NBA with his rebounding and shot-blocking prowess. With career averages of 16.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, Howard was a force to be reckoned with on the court…Despite never winning an NBA Championship with the Magic, his dominance on the defensive end and his rebounding prowess have earned him a place among the greats of the game.”
Many have found these acts to be beyond heart-warming and justifiably so. After all, there aren’t many things sweeter than former adversaries setting their differences aside. Perhaps, the two may even sit down for an interview together someday.
