Even years after both Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard retired from the NBA, their petty beef continues.
On Monday, during an appearance on “Ray Daniels Presents,” Howard opened up about his weird relationship with O’Neal: “He always thought I was trying to be him or be like him. But again, if I wanted to be you or be like you, shouldn’t you take that as a compliment and to show how great you are as a player and a person.”
Howard then explained how he reached a boiling point where he felt the disrespect had to stop, sharing a story of how he attempted to reach out to Shaq while he was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars.”
He later added, “At this point, I’m like do we need to throw hands…He’s Shaquille O’Neal the most dominant center ever. But again, he keep saying stuff about me. So it’s like ‘Aye bro, do we need to go ahead and squabble?’”
Watch all of what he said about Shaq below:
Naturally, the Big Diesel caught wind of what Howard said and wrote a heated response filled with hashtags on X that read, “@DwightHoward the fact u think I care about u is funny, but I won’t ever bring your name up again sensitive big man, a jokester that can’t take a joke. Won’t ever say your name again ever again. Have a great day and now u have been deleted. Have a great day. #inevercared #trust me #dontneedvalidationyoudo #stayoffpodcasts #thefactyouthinkicareisfunny #yougottashowrespecttogetrespect #nowyouredeadtome.”
Howard didn’t back down, commenting, “I know you care. Cuz yo insecure ass been hating and talking shit for 20 years. You too big to be this insecure. I hope you don’t bring my name up again. 52 years old tweeting me. And still hating. Now all this time you was joking. You always been jealous. Jealous of Kobe, penny, dwayde. You’re jealous of Charles too.”
He continued, “Go move around big lazy insecure ass. I still have that long 5 Paragraph direct message you sent me a couple years ago telling me that I’m not that great to hate. And you are still doing it. It’s 2025, grow the hell up. and move on.”
Howard isn’t wrong about Shaq’s criticism over the years: The latter often accused the former of stealing his “Superman” moniker and said the former Orlando Magic Center did not live up to his potential.
Although the two haven’t said anything since this latest interaction, O’Neal will almost assuredly address it during his appearance on “Inside the NBA” sometime in the future.