For NBA legend Dwight Howard, basketball has always been about more than points and rebounds.
The No. 1 overall pick in 2004, an eight-time All-Star, and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Howard’s career has stretched across nearly two decades, from his dominance in Orlando to winning a title with the Lakers in 2020.
Along the way, he’s faced his share of praise, criticism, and questions about his place in history.
Now, with his Hall of Fame status confirmed, Howard is reflecting on what matters most—his journey, his growth, and even his long-publicized tension with another larger-than-life center: Shaquille O’Neal.
In an interview on Scoop B Selects, featuring longtime sports journalist Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, Howard was asked about the long-running feud with Shaq, one that played out on TV sets and social media for years.
Howard dismissed the idea that the reconciliation was staged. “I don’t think none of it was for cameras,” he said. “The beef? I mean, I guess it was real as far as him disliking what I was doing and me disliking him hating on me or whatever you want to call it. But you gotta let bygones be bygones.”
For Howard, perspective shifted as his career came full circle. “My time in the NBA is over with, you know? We got the same jacket. We’re in the Hall of Fame so, we just have to respect each other,” he said.
He also made it clear that he’s grateful for Shaq’s legacy: “Shaq came before me and a lot of the bigs, so we always pay homage to the ones that came before us. I would never disrespect him and what he meant to the game.”
That respect off the court is what allowed the two to finally move past years of headlines. “Away from basketball, off the court, you know, man to man is different from on the court,” Howard explained. “All in all, I respect him and I’m glad we had an opportunity to talk.”