Shaquille O’Neal, on the left, and Orlando Magic Center in Cleveland, Dwight Howard was fighting for the position in a match of February 21, 2010 in Orlando. After years of quarrel, O’Neal and Howard have repaired their relationship. (Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)
THE Shaquille O’Neal–Dwight Howard The beef seems to be finished.
It is a sentence that seemed intended to be written as recently as January, when Several years old between the two former NBAs of the NBA heated again Howard comments made on a podcast.
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But last week, when Howard was revealed as a member of the Naismith basketball renowned temple Class of 2025, the former Orlando Magic and the triple defensive player of the year of the NBA published on X that he wanted O’Neal and his renowned colleague Kareem Abdul-Jabbar And Kevin Garnett To participate in his enthronement in September.
“”I want Kg, Shaq and Kareem to go out“Wrote Howard.
On the last episode of “The great podcast with Shaq“” Who abandoned on Wednesday but was recorded last week, O’Neal was informed of Howard’s request by co-host Adam Lefkoe.
Find out more: “Do we need to throw our hands?” Shaquille O’Neal-Dwight Howard Beef still strong in 2025
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Shaq did not hesitate with his answer.
“”I’ll do it“He said.” I will be there. “”
Lefkoe spoke for all of us when he replied: “Really?”
“Of course,” said Shaq. “It’s my guy.”
Surprisingly, the discussion went in a different direction after that, although O’Neal had a little more light on the situation a little later after a fan asked what his favorite moment with the former Lakers teammate was Kobe Bryant.
O’Neal first indicated that there were “many” moments that could qualify, then launched in a story It started with the sentence: “So me and Dwight we finally met the other day.”
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Find out more: Dwight Howard will play again in Los Angeles, not for Lakers, but the riot of Big3
Lefkoe spoke again for all of us when he asked: “Dwight Howard? “”
O’Neal continued: “Yeah, Dwight Howard. In Orlando. And he asked me:” How is it that you don’t love me? “And my answer is:” What makes you think that I don’t love you? He says: “Because you are always hard with me”. And then I say: ‘You don’t think you I was hard with Kobe? You don’t think I was hard (Dwyane Wade))? … This is what I do so that my guys go to this next level.
“As a leader, you sometimes have to push your guys. Sometimes they like it, sometimes they don’t do it. But I know what it takes and I know what I needed. I needed another absolute dog with me. So, every time I do kobe farm, you know the guys and you saw the product.
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“So, once (Howard) understood it – I think he understood” that he was like “guy, you never called me.” I said to myself, “Why should I call you? So my favorite moment with Kobe – I have so much, but I just liked to piss him off so that he is going crazy.”
Find out more: A Shaquille O’Neal in tears on the death of Kobe Bryant: “ I lost a little brother ”
O’Neal and Howard are both old choices n ° 1 by the Orlando Magic (O’Neal in 1992Howard in 2004) and the NBA champions with the Lakers (O’Neal in the 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons; Howard in 2019-2020). O’Neal, now analyst on TNT “Inside the NBA», Used this platform to criticize Howard.
Many think that the quarrel is from Howard took over The nickname of O’Neal Superman At the start of his career, wearing a cape and the superhero logo while competing – and Win – the Slam Dunk competition of the NBA in 2008.
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But now everything seems well between the two former enemies, with Howard Thursday expressing his gratitude to O’Neal on X while adding two other Hall of Famers – Dennis Rodman And Hakeem Olajuwon – To his list of players, he wants to walk on stage.
“Shaq you appreciate the man,” wrote Howard, adding that “it will be an honor to have you kg, Drod, Hakeem and Kareem proceed in the basketball heavens.”
None of the other former players still seems to have responded publicly to Howard’s request.
Find out more: Why didn’t Dwight Howard returned to the Lakers after the 2020 title? Him and Jeanie Buss released the air
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.