Shaquille O'Neal seemingly backs Dwyane Wade's stance on Dwight Howard's NBA 75 team inclusion, as Warriors pass on the former champ
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard have had a testy relationship for years already. The four-time NBA champ has never shied away from taking shots at Howard, who recently played in Taiwan last season. Despite Howard’s superb numbers in an Asian league, O’Neal kept his criticism of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner.
The LA Lakers legend, however, may have shockingly changed his tune. Shaq posted on his Instagram account an interview between Dwyane Wade and Shannon Sharpe.
Here’s what “D-Wade” said about Howard in the said exchange with Sharpe:
“1,000% [deserving of a spot in the 75th NBA Anniversary team]. … I really don’t understand. I know a lot of people have a lot of things to say about Dwight Howard’s personality but when it come to that man’s actual work, his body of work, it’s undeniable. He took that team [Magic] to the Finals.
Like Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard also carried the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals but failed. Shaq, alongside Penny Hardaway, was swept by Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets in 1995. Howard, meanwhile, won one game for the Magic against Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and the LA Lakers.
“D12” ultimately lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2020 when he played as part of LeBron James’ supporting cast. Howard’s exclusion from the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team was one of the biggest controversies when that selection was announced.
Most basketball fans on social media couldn’t believe Dwight Howard wasn’t selected over the likes of Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard. Howard’s resume is arguably better than some of the names on that team.
The eight-time All-Star could have added to his already glittering resume had another NBA team signed him up. He couldn’t get a contract last season and was just recently rebuffed by the Golden State Warriors.
Shaquille O'Neal did not think Dwight Howard belongs in the Hall of Fame
Shaquille O'Neal may have backed up Dwyane Wade’s assertion that Dwight Howard should have been named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team. It remains to be seen though if his comments about Howard’s Hall of Fame consideration will change.
Last year, Shaq, on Inside the NBA, had an interesting exchange with co-host Adam Lefkoe:
Shaq: "You have three Hall-of-Famers on that team, if they can rile the rest of the guys up for five games, they are not gonna be in the play-in game.
Lefkoe: "They have five Hall-of-Famers. LeBron, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard
Shaq: "That's four. E-Mail it, tweet it! That's four!"
Dwyane Wade and Jamal Crawford who were also co-hosts of the show repeatedly said five. Everyone on the panel, except for Shaquille O'Neal, agreed that Howard is guaranteed a spot in the Hall of Fame.