'This ain't f***ing Shaq, this is Dwight Howard': Shaquille O'Neal continues Superman feud with latest comments
Shaquille O'Neal has had some sort of beef with former NBA star Dwight Howard for several years. O'Neal became notorious for always calling out Howard for his lackluster performances on the hardwood and questionable decisions outside the court. While Shaq decided to keep it lowkey for a while, he recently made remarks about Dwight again on his podcast.
Shaquille O'Neal opened up about the time when he knew father time was catching up to him on the court. Throughout his career, O'Neal made a name for himself in the NBA by easily dominating his opponents inside the paint. However, come his last few years in the league, the "Big Diesel" put on a lot of weight and became significantly slower.
Shaq being aware of his situation, accepted the fact that he was no longer his old self. O'Neal then took a jab at Dwight Howard by saying that his performances were similar to Howard's during his latter years.
Here's what Shaq had to say on his podcast:
"When I pumped faked for the dunk and I look at the stats, I had nine points. I'm like, 'This ain't fu****g Shaq, this is Dwight Howard.”
Shaquille O'Neal's 'beef' with Dwight Howard is his way of showing love
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard's beef started when the young Howard showed up to the 2008 NBA dunk contest sporting a Superman outfit. Long before Howard was drafted to the league, one of O'Neal's monikers was "Superman" because of the superhuman strength he displayed on the court. Shaq took pride in that name and even had the Superman emblem inked on his shoulder.
To see Howard simply stealing the gimmick, Shaq didn't appreciate the gesture. Since then, the "Big Diesel" has been keeping a close eye on the younger "Superman." O'Neal would often critique Howard's performances and let him know without hesitation what he lacked as a player. The NBA legend's criticism would often sound harsh, which rubbed other people the wrong way. They thought that all Shaq did was bully Dwight.
However, Shaquille O'Neal clarified earlier this year on Trae Young's podcast that what people thought was bullying was his way of showing love to Dwight Howard. It was the first time O'Neal publicly praised Howard for his hard work on the court. But it didn't mean that he respected his game, he would no longer give Dwight the cold shoulder.
Shaq admitted that he saw Howard as a younger brother. He then clarified that his way of being the older brother was by pushing him to become better. O'Neal genuinely wanted Dwight to succeed hence why he was always hard on him throughout the years.
Ultimately, Howard went on to become an NBA champion with the LA Lakers in 2020. However, despite achieving the ultimate goal, his recent career decisions have made Shaq look out for him again.