Is there a third person who instigated the beef between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal? The two stars have been taking shots at each other for over a decade and a half now. And including the most recent one, there have been multiple instances when things got nasty between the two. The recent developments have, however, prompted the former Golden State Warriors star, Gilbert Arenas, to point out the party that started the whole beef.

It was during his recent podcast episode that Arenas tried getting to the root of this beef.

“The problem is this. Every nickname that sticks was given to you by fans… One got named Superman, which was Shaq. And then they named him [Dwight] Superman… That was the offensive part.” And his take is quite accurate.

While Shaquille O’Neal was already the ‘Superman’ of the league, D12 earned the nickname after he wore a Superman cape and logo to the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. And as most fans would know, Howard won the title. Following this, it was the media outlets who termed him ‘Superman’ in their stories.

And the name stuck.

Thus started the whole beef between Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard. The ‘Big Diesel,’ in most instances, has claimed the 3x DPOY has not achieved enough to deserve the same nickname that he has.

It was something that even McCants highlighted in Gil’s Arena. He mentioned that O’Neal is sort of a “gatekeeper” for the big man club. “[Shaq] ain’t never really feel like he gave Dwight the nod. He never knighted Dwight and say, ‘All right, welcome to the big man.’,” he noted.

Rashad further pointed out this also to be the reason that Dwight seeks Shaq’s validation. “That’s why Dwight feel like he hasn’t been knighted. … ‘If Shaq tell me I’m good, maybe everybody else will believe him.’,” he shared, explaining that must be what’s going through Howard’s mind.

Kenyon Martin, however, stated if he’s Howard, his trophy cabinet speaks differently from Rashad’s claim. At the bottom of it, even Gil’s Arena crew seems to desire something even they know is most likely not possible. “Hopefully they squash it,” Brandon Jennings said out loud.

Denying Dwight Howard all this long, Shaquille O’Neal gave the title of  Superman to this Bucks star

How do you know you’ve truly arrived in the NBA? For Giannis Antetokounmpo, MVP awards or a championship ring could have been one part of it. But being crowned ‘Superman’ by the OG himself is something in itself!

Yes, you read that right.

During an appearance on ESPN Radio’s The Stephen A. Smith Show (via The Score’s Chris Walder), Shaq made it official. “I’ve never given my name up before, but I’m giving it to him. He’s the new Superman,” O’Neal declared.

Shaq further praised Giannis for dominating where it counts: the paint. “You taking it to the hole… Throwing it down. You ain’t shooting no flip shots,” he said, making it clear that Antetokounmpo embodies the old-school power Shaq always admired. “So I denounce myself as Superman and I’m giving to the ‘Greek Freak’.” 

But even giving up the nickname that started it all has not been able to put an end to the beef between Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard.