Dwight Howard has unloaded on Shaquille O’Neal after the NBA star’s ‘disrespectful’ comments toward the former NBA champion’s debut in the Taiwan T1 League.
The war of words between the two former NBA big men has erupted following Howard’s debut game for the Taoyuan Leopard in Taiwan.
The 36-year-old recorded 37 points, 25 rebounds, and nine assists in his debut game.
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However, O’Neal took a sly dig at the ex-Laker on The Big Podcast in which he claimed that Howard is ‘supposed to have 30 points playing against dudes 5ft 8’.
Shaq also likened the Taiwan league to a ‘Life Time Fitness League’.
And apparently, Howard didn’t take too kindly to the comments, telling the 50-year-old to ‘stop hating’.
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In an Instagram Live video, he said: “This message is for Shaquille O’Neal.
“First thing I want to say is, you gotta stop hating brother. You gotta stop hating. I ain’t never in my life came at you about your basketball career, your family, your kids or anything of the sort. Because there is no need to. The world is too big to hate on another man.
“Have I joked about, I’ve mimicked your voice, have I mimicked what I see on TV? Everybody do that.
“Comedians do that. People do that all the time. And I do it all the time, I do that to everybody. But I do not hate on people.
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“So stop hating. I saw a video of you talking about me playing basketball in Taiwan and I’m playing at the ‘Life Time Fitness League’. Do not disrespect my teammates in this league and these people in Taiwan like that. That is highly disrespectful and it’s hating.
“And you too old to be hating. You too big to be hating.
“You supposed to be Superman, the original Superman. Shaquille O’Neal. The original Superman is hating? The OG Superman is hating? Come on man.”
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O’Neal has been critical of Howard in the past.
After the former Laker won the NBA title in the 2020 season, Howard posted multiple messages about winning his first career championship.
Shaq called Howard a ‘bandwagon jumper’ for his role with the Los Angeles team.
Howard is an eight-time NBA All-Star and a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
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Howard also noted that he currently sits at 265 pounds and ‘not 390 pounds’.
“You know it takes effort to go get rebounds. And I got a whole lot of rebounds in my life,” Howard said.
“I’m not angry. But come on, you’re too old and too grown to be hating on other people.”
SPORTbible reached out to representatives of Shaquille O’Neal for comment.
Topics: NBA, Basketball, Shaquille O’Neal, US Sports
Jayden Collins