Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and future Hall of Famer Dwight Howard might be on friendly terms today, but not too long ago, the two were locked in a heated feud that played out publicly.

O’Neal spent years throwing jabs at Howard, saying he did it to push him toward greatness—the same way former NBA legends pushed him. But with Howard set to enter the Hall of Fame this September and O’Neal walking him out at the ceremony, their once-tense relationship has turned into mutual respect.

While appearing on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the two finally cleared the air for fans, with O’Neal acknowledging what he called the elephant in the room. According to Howard, their feud really escalated after O’Neal swatted a cake—decorated with Howard’s face—off the table during an Inside the NBA segment three years ago.

“You picked up my cake and just threw it on the ground. I was like ‘Hey is he really pissed off at me?'” said Howard while talking with Shaq.

Back then, the Inside the NBA crew was celebrating O’Neal’s 50th birthday. After Shaq opened a gift bag on set, the team rolled out a birthday cake—only it featured a photo of Dwight Howard dressed in a Superman costume from his NBA Dunk Contest appearance.

In response, Shaquille O’Neal swatted the cake off the desk, pretending not to notice the image. According to Howard, that moment marked the beginning of their long-running feud.

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Dwight Howard's career outside the NBA

game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Dwight Howard spent years chasing another shot at the NBA. After finishing the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers—following a season with the Philadelphia 76ers—he hit free agency and actively sought a new team.

After 18 seasons in the league, the demand for a traditional big man nearing the end of his career had faded. Despite his push to return—including a multi-day workout with the Golden State Warriors before the 2022-23 season—Dwight Howard never made it back to the NBA.

Instead, he headed overseas to Taiwan, where he quickly won over fans with his performance. Back in 2022, though, Shaq mocked Howard for putting up 38 points, 25 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 blocks in a T1 League game, poking fun at the level of competition.

Now, with his Hall of Fame induction on the horizon in September, Dwight Howard has signed on to play in Ice Cube’s Big3 league. He’ll suit up for the LA Riot, a team led by former NBA player Nick Young. The league tips off its 2025 season on Saturday, June 14, at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, with games running through August 24.