14 years after they last met on the basketball court, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard have kept a strong rivalry going, but it was recently Shaq suggested the feud may be over.
O’Neal recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to say he would never bring Howard’s name up again, responding to Howard’s podcast comments. This is the latest chapter of a longstanding feud between the two all-time greats who share more than a few career parallels.
Shaq vs. Howard: The Seeds of Rivalry Sown
It all started in October 2012, but their feud had been bubbling for a while. O’Neal took a shot at Howard on his X account (formally known as Twitter).
Shaq comments on Dwight Howard’s Superman dunk during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
O’Neal was one of the most dominant centers in the NBA during his era, he also had many nicknames given to him and Superman was one of them. So it’s clear he didn’t like everybody calling Dwight the new Superman after his 2008 NBA Slam Dunk championship.
Dwight Howard’s Superman dunk during the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
Right when O’Neal hit retirement, while working for TNT Shaq was quoted as saying “Brook Lopez was a better center than Howard”, who was coming off of his fifth consecutive All-NBA First Team selection. “I don’t care what Shaq says,” Howard said in response. “Shaq played the game. He’s done. He’s gone. It’s time to move on. He hated the fact, you know, that when he played, the older guys were talking about him and how he played, and now he’s doing the exact same thing. Just let it go.”
According to O’Neal his stance was a motivational tactic, but all it did was push Howard’s buttons even further.
Shaq firing back at dwight Howard on X (formally twitter)
Over the next several years, O’Neal reminded people that “thre is only one Superman”. in 2016, O’neal posted a photoshopped image of himself dunking on Howard with the caption, “There can only be 1 Superman!!! #ME”
photoshopped image of Shaq dunking on dwight howard. “there can only be 1 Superman”
Shaq vs. Howard: A Tale of Two Centers with Striking Similarities
Although Shaq has had more success and was arguably more dominant in his time, both players have a similar history in the NBA. Both players are centers who were selected first overall by the Orlando Magic and led the franchise to the NBA Finals losses.
Both players also took the next steps in their glorious careers as members of the Lakers. After winning a title with the Lakers in 2020, Howard made a few more NBA stops before returning to LA for his final season in 2021-2022.
In 2024 on Instagram Howard claimed to be blocked by O’Neal.
“Who blocks someone over a nickname owned by Warner [B]rothers,” Howard commented. “There is no REAL Superman it sound petty.”
Howard would break the ice by suggesting to O’neal that they could squabble things in the ring. We all know how this next exchange will unfold.
Shaq responding to Howard about settling their feud in the ring.
Now in 2025, during an appearance on The Gauds Show, Howard gave his theory about the roots of O’neals disdain. Howard said that he wonders if O’Neal wants to settle things with fisticuffs. This two-minute clip prompted O’Neal to return to X and begin the latest back-and-forth with Howard.
Back-and-forth banter on X between Shaq and Howard.
Howard fired back on X extending an open invitation to O’neal to hash things out on podcast.
Dwight Howard inviting Shaq to hash things on on a podcast.
20 years of back and forth from two former all-time greats, we don’t know if Shaq will have a rebuttal but, you have to say it’s entertaining. We will see what happens next.
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Chris is a sports writer and contributor to Hardwood Heroics, and Wisconsin Sports Heroics . Chris loves to bring his knowledge and expertise to the game of basketball.
