Dwight Howard Challenges Shaq To Fight, Shaq Says He’s “Dead” To Him

Dwight Howard‘s longstanding fued with Shaquille O’Neal has regained steam in the new year, as the two NBA legends recently took shots at each other while bickering on social media.

The drama between the big men resurfaced following Howard’s appearance on Ray Daniels’ The Gaud Show podcast, with the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year speaking on feeling shunned by O’Neal upon entering the league.

According to Howard, comparisons of the two, due to similarities such as he and Shaq both being drafted No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic and playing the center position, led Shaq to become resentful of him.

“What I hated the most is the fact that he always thought I was trying to be him or be like him,” Howard said of the four-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer.

“But again, if I wanted to be you or be like him, shouldn’t you take that as a compliment and show how great you are as a player and a person?”

The 39-year-old also revealed that he’s considered confronting O’Neal in person at TNT Studios, where he films the NBA on TNT show alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, due to his disparaging comments about him.

“You keep doing it, so I’m gonna have to talk to you man to man. I was finna roll up to the studio and be like, ‘Yo, what’s the deal?’” Howard said.

“Every time I hear about you, you’re disrespecting me in some way,” he said. “At this point, I’m like, do we need to throw hands? What are we doing?” 

After catching wind of the interview, O’Neal clapped back at Howard on X, insisting that he’s unconcerned with his longtime rival, who is now “dead” to him.

“@DwightHoward the fact u think I care about u is funny,” the 52-year-old began. “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.” 

Not long after, Howard issued his own retort to O’Neal, accusing him of being envious of his former teammates and having a vendetta towards him that’s lasted over the past two decades.

“I know you care,” the former high school phenom wrote. “Cuz yo insecure a** been hating and talking sh*t 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 jealous of Charles too.” 

Howard continued, urging O’Neal to let go of his disdain towards him. “Go move around big lazy insecure a**. 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 still doing it. It’s 2025 grow the hell up. and move on.” 

The bad blood between the two big men began during the mid-aughts, when Howard assumed the “Superman” persona that Shaq originally made popular a decade prior as a member of the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers.

The pair have taken shots at each other over the years, with Shaq being the primary aggressor, sporadically insulting his predecessor with unflattering jokes and blatant slights. Howard has become more vocal about his differences with O’Neal over the years, making it clear that he won’t take being disrespected or verbally bullied lightly.

See Shaq and Dwight Howard’s X posts below.