Dwight Howard Braces for Shaquille O’Neal Kobe Bryant-Like Comeback With Ex-Lakers Star

Back in 2020, when Dwight Howard left the NBA, he had a few dreams in mind. One of them? Proving that NBA veterans still had something left in the tank. And he’s been doing just that in TAT (The Asian Tournament). Not only did Howard help his team, the Taiwan Mustangs, win the championship last year, but he also owns the team. However, Howard’s ultimate goal is to dominate the TAT league in the same way that the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal duo dominated for the LA Lakers. And now, that dream might just be within reach.

Recently, Howard dropped a hint that has everyone talking. He posted a Kobe-Shaq GIF from their Laker days on Twitter with a caption: “Me & Patrick Beverley next year in my league 👀🤔”. While there’s been no official news of Beverley joining TAT, fans can’t help but wonder if this is a clue. After all, Howard is a part-owner of the TAT.

Beverley recently announced he was leaving the NBA after 12 years to play in Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv BC. Despite reportedly having offers in the NBA, Beverley chose Israel for more playing time. But Howard wasn’t too happy about that. “Aye Pat you could’ve came to my league 😒,” Howard tweeted after the announcement. So, could we actually see a Howard-Beverley duo next season in Taiwan?

If Beverley does make the move, Howard would be that much closer to achieving the dream he announced when he first joined Taiwan: “Forget going to Cancún C’MON over to The Asian Tournament & play in my league! Currently looking for another NBA player to play on my team the Taiwan Mustangs! Y’all mine as well get that shaq & kobe meme ready we gone dominate 🏀🔥”, he tweeted.

Speaking of duos, Howard has always been vocal about his admiration for the Kobe-Shaq pairing, calling them the best not only in NBA history.

Dwight Howard on the Kobe-Shaq duo

Earlier this year, on his podcast Above the Rim with D12, the NBA champ credited the pair for revolutionizing the league. He said their chemistry, which earned the Lakers three championships, set the standard for dynamic duos.

“I’m going with Kobe and Shaq,” Howard said. “Magic and Kareem were a good duo, but Kobe and Shaq brought that extra flare to the big and guard combo. They made the one-two punch popular. The first time I really saw them dominate was when the 76ers played the Lakers in the Finals… I was in 11th grade.”

Despite Howard’s feud with the big Shaq himself over the Superman nickname, Howard’s statement will surely please Shaq as he also thinks the same. Shaq once posted a photo of himself and Bryant on Instagram with the caption: “Greatest duo ever, don’t ever forget it.”

And let’s not forget their 2019 reunion at the All-Star Game. After the Western Conference’s 146-119 win, Shaq shared his excitement about playing with Bryant again, saying, “It felt like old times. We were the greatest 1-2 punch. Ever.” He even added that Kobe let him take the trophy home for his kids—a true sign of their enduring bond.