Shaq agrees to lead Dwight Howard into the Hall of Fame and to defeat years of feud for years: “This is my guy”

The former NBA centers Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal bury the hatchet at their years of feud with a small pomp and a circumstance in Howard’s introduction to the Naishith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.

After Howard’s admission to the hall was announced during the NCAA Final Four of the men on April 5, he informed about X that he wanted Kevin Garnett, O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to organize it at every introductory ceremony as part of a traditional presentation. Howard later added in an X contribution that he would also be part of his induction that Hakeem would be Olajuwon and Dennis Rodman.

O’Neal, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, immediately agreed.

“It’s great. I’ll do it,” he said on Thursday in response to Howard’s Social -Media -Post, while talking about “The Big Podcast with Shaq”. When co-moderator Adam Lefko expressed a little shock about O’Neal’s reaction, the legendary great man doubled.

“I’ll be there. … of course. This is my guy.”

Shaq has agreed to go @Dwighthoward Outside in the Hall of Fame 👏@Bigpodwithshaq | https://t.co/vncccjpfdpn pic.twitter.com/cpcutnbpk2

– Spielmacher (@Playmaker) April 10, 2025

Howard, which extends an olive branch, is surprising, since the two have had beef since 2008 when O’Neal Howard attracts a superman cloak and wears a shirt with the character of the character to perform at the Slam Dunk competition this year. Howard won the event with a legendary Dunk and received a perfect score in the last round, but in the following days and years O’Neal repeated that he was the only owner of the Superman Spitz name in the NBA.

Dwight Howard darkens a basketball while wearing a Superman costume during the 2008 Slam Dunk competition. (Photo: Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images)

O’Neal Rib Howard continued about his game and behavior through social media contributions and while he spoke in his podcast. In November, Howard playfully proposed that the two should expose themselves in a boxing match to benefit from their conflict.

“Shaq Wassup,” he wrote in a post on X with a boxing glove emoji. “Let’s make bread,” he added, followed by a crying laughing emoji.

But O’Neal did not make the offer friendly.

“I have to have more than one (NBA championship) ring to get into the ring with me,” he wrote on X.

Howard spoke the hostility during An appearance in “The Gauds Show” in January, Explained that he tried to turn to O’Neal to clarify the problem because he did not understand the persistent disrespect.

“There are so many things that we could do together. There are so many people we could bring together, but they have an attitude to what?” Said Howard. “I have no problem with you. But you continue to talk about me. I have to come to you.”

Howard added that although he neither he nor O’Neal is currently playing in the NBA, “still continuing with the pettiness”.

“At what point does it stop and do you have a real problem? If you have a real problem, let’s leave it over.”

O’Neal responded to Howard’s comments with a long contribution to X on the same day.

I still don’t care that I see what you are doing, your legacy is your new podcast, so you will be remembered and needed views. Damm I taught you well, great job hall of fame podcaster. But it still doesn’t matter.
You need sitting, you need my confirmation, I don’t need yours, how …

– Shaq (@shaq) January 7, 2025

“I will never bring your name sensitive big man again, a joke that cannot make a joke. I will never say your name again,” he wrote.

Howard shot back and wrote that O’Neal was “always jealous” and told him “he should build up and continue”.

Although he said that he would not respond to Howard’s name again, O’Neal replied that Howard’s legacy was his podcast and pointed out that he was not yet Hall of Famer.

Three months later, Howard is waiting for his introduction to the hall and will have O’Neal at his side for the anchoring ceremony on September 6th. After O’Neal agreed to take part in the ceremony, Howard wrote an X -Post in which he expressed his appreciation.

“It will be an honor that you, KG, Drod, Hakeem and Kareem lead me to the basketball sky.”

Shaq appreciate you, man, it will be an honor that you will bring me to the basketball sky #hof 🙏🏾

– Dwight Howard (@Dwighthoward) April 10, 2025

Perhaps the two players whose careers from Orlando Magic to No. 1 will be won with the winning of championships with the Los Angeles Lakers – but will find peace.

(Photo: Kyle Terada / Imagn Pictures)