Former NBA player Dwight Howard slammed basketball great Shaquille O’Neal over “disrespectful” comments O’Neal made regarding Howard’s overseas league.
Howard announced earlier this month he would continue his career playing in Taiwan's T1 League for the Taoyuan Leopards. The eight-time NBA All-Star recorded an impressive stat line with 38 points and 25 rebounds in his debut, helping his team to a 120–115 win against New Taipei CTBC DEA. Not everyone, including O'Neal, was as impressed.
O’Neal was asked about Howard’s play in Taiwan by Spice Adams on Thursday's episode of The Big Podcast, to which O’Neal began laughing. When asked why he was laughing, O’Neal said he was going to be honest about Howard's level of play overseas.
“You should never be complimented for being a good father because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right?” O’Neal began. “He’s supposed to have 30 points playing against dudes 5’8”.”
Adams continued to defend Howard, noting he attempted 10 three-pointers in one night.
“This league reminds me of the Life Time Fitness league every Saturday when I go workout on Saturdays,” O’Neal said.
Howard did not take the comments lightly and went on Instagram Live hours later to address O’Neal’s remarks. Howard opened up the conversation by saying he wanted to talk about jealousy. Then, he went in on O’Neal.
“This message is for Shaquille O’Neal,” he began. “First thing I want to say is, you gotta stop hating brother. You gotta stop hating! I have never in my life came at you about your basketball career, your family, your kids, anything of the sort. Because there is no need to. The world is too big to hate on another man. … Have I joked about, I’ve mimicked your voice, have I mimicked what I see on TV? Everybody do that. Comedians do that. People do that all the time. And I do it all the time, I do that to everybody. But I do not hate on people. …
“So stop hating. I saw a video of you talking about me playing basketball in Taiwan and I’m playing at the Life Time Fitness League. Do not disrespect my teammates in this league and these people in Taiwan like that. That is highly disrespectful and it’s hating. And you too old to be hating. You too big to be hating. You suppose to be Superman, the original Superman. Shaquille O’Neal. The original Superman is hating? The OG Superman is hating?
“Come on man, we know what you did in basketball, we know how much money you got. You talk about it. We know how much stories you got. We know everything that you have done, Shaquille O’Neal. Stop hating. There’s no need to hate. You done did everything in life that everybody wish that they could do. They want to be Superman. They want to be you!”
Howard was drafted No. 1 in the 2004 draft by the Magic. His 18-year NBA tenure saw him suit up for Orlando, the Lakers, Rockets, Hornets, Hawks, 76ers and Wizards. He last played in the NBA in ’21 for Los Angeles, where he averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds on the season. He won his only ring in the 2019–20 season after the Lakers defeated the Heat in six games.
