21 hours ago
1
It’s 2025 and some of ya’ll are waking up and choosing violence. The long-standing feud between NBA giants Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal has reignited in 2025, with Howard calling out Shaq for years of perceived disrespect, even challenging him to a physical confrontation. The drama flared up after Howard appeared on The Gaud Show podcast, where he spoke candidly about the ongoing tension between the two, particularly the animosity he’s felt since entering the league.
If you don’t recall, Howard, a former No. 1 overall pick who succeeded Shaq as the Orlando Magic’s center, expressed frustration at what he perceived as Shaq’s resentment towards him. “What I hated the most is the fact that he always thought I was trying to be him or be like him,” Howard said, referencing the comparisons the two faced due to their similar playing styles and careers. “But again, if I wanted to be you or be like you, shouldn’t you take that as a compliment and show how great you are as a player and a person?”
Still a relatively young man, the 39-year-old, who was the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, didn’t hold back in revealing his feelings. He even shared that he’d considered confronting O’Neal in person at the NBA on TNT studios, where Shaq regularly films alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. “You keep doing it, so I’m gonna have to talk to you man to man,” Howard said. “I was finna roll up to the studio and be like, ‘Yo, what’s the deal?’ Every time I hear about you, you’re disrespecting me in some way. At this point, I’m like, do we need to throw hands? What are we doing?”
As for Shaquille O’Neal, who’s 52, he wasted no time firing back on social media after hearing Howard’s remarks. On X (formerly Twitter), O’Neal dismissed his rival, saying, “@DwightHoward the fact u think I care about u is funny. But I won’t ever bring your name up again sensitive big man, a jokester that can’t take a joke. Won’t ever say your name again ever again. Have a great day and now u have been deleted.”
Not one to back down, Howard responded swiftly, accusing Shaq of being insecure and harboring jealousy over the years. “I know you care,” Howard fired back. “Cuz yo insecure a** been hating and talking sh*t for 20 years. You [too] big to be this insecure. I hope you don’t bring my name up again. 52 years old tweeting me. And still hating. Now all this time you was joking. You always been jealous. Jealous of Kobe, Penny, Dwyane. You jealous of Charles too.”
Howard also called on O’Neal to move on from his apparent animosity, even referencing a message O’Neal had allegedly sent him years ago. “Go move around big lazy insecure a**,” Howard continued. “Still have that long 5 Paragraph direct message you sent me a couple years ago telling me that I’m not that great to hate. And you still doing it. It’s 2025 grow the hell up and move on.”
The obvious bad blood between these two has simmered for over two decades, sparked initially by Howard’s adoption of Shaq’s “Superman” persona during his time with the Orlando Magic. While O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion, has regularly taken jabs at Howard, it seems the younger star has had enough of the verbal slights. As their rivalry continues to evolve, Howard made it clear that he won’t tolerate what he sees as Shaq’s persistent bullying and disrespect.
It seems that the drama between the two NBA legends is far from over, with Howard now publicly challenging his former idol to settle things once and for all.
English (US) ·