Dwight Howard will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2025 this September, and he has chosen five people to walk him to the stage, one of which will shock everyone.
Shaquille O’Neal.
Yes, that’s right. The two centers have had a beef that stretches back almost 20 years to 2008 when Howard wore a Superman cape to the Slam Dunk Contest.
Since that time, their beef escalated to heated social media exchanges where the two centers took turns blasting each other, the situation eventually evolving into a silly spat playing out on Twitter.
In January, Howard went on the podcast The Art of the Dialogue and vented his feelings on the issue.
“Never disrespected him. But he’s always had something to say. There’s times where I’ve gotten upset and I’m like, ‘Yo, Shaq, this gotta stop, man,’” Howard said.
Well, Shaq responded and stopped it, but not in the way that Howard was hoping for.
“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,” posted Shaq.
But apparently, three months later the two have squashed the beef because Howard Tweeted out that he wanted Shaq, his longtime nemesis, to walk him out when he takes to the Hall of Fame stage in Springfield.
“That’s awesome,” said Shaq. “I’ll do it. I’ll be there.”
So Shaq will join an impressive list of Hall of Famers featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Garnett and Dennis Rodman as the presenters for Howard’s induction.
They will join others from the Class of 2025 including Carmelo Anthony, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, the 2008 Men’s Olympic Basketball team aka “The Redeem Team”, Billy Donovan and others.
