Shaquille O’Neal Not Enough as Dwight Howard Names NBA Legend in Bold Hall of Fame Wish

When you hear Basketball Hall of Fame, who comes to mind first—Jordan flying through the air, Magic dazzling with no-look passes, or Shaquille O’Neal shattering backboards and defenses alike? Maybe it’s Kobe’s killer instinct or Duncan’s quiet brilliance, but agree to disagree, Shaq’s larger-than-life presence—on and off the court—makes him impossible to overlook. But there’s a new entrant. Dwight Howard. He will also be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year! And he has something in store. Howard recently gave massive respect. Before you think of too many names, here’s a Clue. He named one of his former coaches as one of the presenters. 

Howard had a legendary career, winning the NBA championship with the Lakers. Drafted as the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic, Howard made a name for himself, playing more than seven years with the team, collecting several accolades along the way. He was named Defensive Player of the Year three times and was selected to the All-Defensive Team five times. Now, as he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame and receives the ultimate honor, he wants his mentors and well-wishers close by his side on the stage. Guess who?

We know O’Neal will be there. Apart from him, Howard mentioned a few more notable names who will be his presenters for the event. One of them is Kevin McHale. McHale coached Dwight Howard when he was with the Houston Rockets. “Possibly Patrick Ewing and Kevin McCale,” Howard said on The Lou Young Show. Patrick Ewing was an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic during Howard’s playing days. “These are guys that coached me outside of Shaq,” the former Magic player said as he added Dennis Rodman and Kevin Garnett to the roster of presenters. While all the presenters are a special and crucial part of his career, the most surprising mention was Shaq. He made that announcement a few weeks ago.

Apr 5, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (39) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

O’Neal took fans by surprise when he agreed to be a presenter for Howard. But how did the two finally decide on the same opinion? The 4x NBA champ had refused to do so for years!

Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard buried the beef for good!

The feud between the two lasted longer than one might have imagined. It started back in 2008, when Howard wore a Superman costume during the Slam Dunk Contest. The Los Angeles Lakers legend felt that Howard wasn’t creative enough and had tried to steal his nickname. Both big men were called Superman by fans. Well, they can’t be blamed. The two had striking similarities!

What followed was a series of shots taken by Shaq, often harshly criticizing Howard’s performance. But things changed when Howard expressed his wish on social media. Taking to X, Howard requested O’Neal to be his presenter for the 2025 Hall of Fame ceremony. As O’Neal gladly accepted the request, he also addressed and clarified all the drama.

On The Big Podcast, the two finally had a heart-to-heart conversation. Shaq admitted that his criticism of Howard was meant to encourage the Orlando Magic player. The Big Aristotle even apologized to Howard’s parents for worrying them. During the show, Howard and Shaq revealed that they had come across each other at a bar. And that is when the two spoke to each other and decided to end it for good! While the recent podcast could be the beginning of several more interesting conversations in the future, fans are looking forward to the Hall of Fame day!

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