In the high-stakes arena of NBA rivalries, few feuds have been as enduring and entertaining as Shaquille O’Neal ones. From mocking JaVale McGee on Shaqtin’ a Fool to his infamous leadership dispute with Kobe Bryant, the Hall of Famer has never been one to hold back his opinions. But in an unexpected twist that’s left NBA fans doing a double-take, O’Neal has found himself nodding in agreement with his long-time adversary Dwight Howard. This moment suggests that even the most bitter basketball rivalries can find common ground when it comes to questioning modern NBA contracts.

The latest development in this saga centers around Howard’s recent appearance at Gil’s Arena, where the former eight-time All-Star expressed his disbelief at Rudy Gobert’s massive new contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. “Minnesota, y’all could have gave me 10 mil. What? They couldn’t have gave me 10 mil for the rest of the season,” said Howard in the video emphasizing the recent contract extension of Rudy Gobert with the Timberwolves. O’Neal, who had previously criticized Gobert’s contract himself, surprisingly shared the clip on his Instagram, essentially co-signing Howard’s stance.

Gobert initially signed a five-year deal worth $205 million in 2022 with the Timberwolves, which included a player option for the 2025-2026 season. However, NBA insider Shams Charania recently revealed that the Timberwolves have offered Gobert a three-year contract extension worth $110 million, including a player option in the final year of the deal, which will last until the 2027-2028 season. The initial deal was the one Shaq publicly criticized during an interview with his son Myles on Complex. “I’m going to tell you why. Because if you sign a contract for 250, show me 250. There’s a reason why I walk funny, why I can’t turn my neck, and why I can’t do it because I played for my 120,” said Shaq during the interview.

Moreover, Shaquille O’Neal’s decision to share Dwight Howard’s video marks a stunning departure from their notoriously bitter feud, which has spanned nearly 16 years. The rivalry between NBA legends Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal was driven by more than just on-court clashes. Given his massive physique and playing style, the Lakers veteran was often referred to as ‘Superman.’ However, things quickly changed during the 2008 Slam Dunk Contest, when Howard, representing his team Orlando Magic, rocked a Superman shirt and cape. That year, D-12 won the contest as well.

As the NBA community watches this unusual alliance unfold, one can’t help but wonder what might happen if these two larger-than-life personalities were to meet in person following this shared stance. But how did the Shaq-Gobert escalate?

The timeline of the Shaq-Gobert feud

For months, fans have talked about the rivalry between Shaquille O’Neal and Rudy Gobert, two of the NBA’s most imposing behemoths from different eras. As mentioned before, the initial feud started with Shaq’s interview with his son Myles.

However, Gobert wasn’t easily going to let go of what Shaq had said. The 4x NBA DPOY took to his X to publicly call out the Los Angeles Lakers veteran. “It is sad to see someone that has accomplished as much as you did @SHAQ both in sport and business still be triggered by another man’s finances and accomplishments. I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don’t need that stuff to stay relevant,” wrote Gobert in the caption. Gobert had previously expressed doubts about Shaq’s defensive abilities as well. A few days after Gobert’s tweet, O’Neal indirectly jabbed at him during his appearance on the OG Podcast. “When I put out these challenges they fail the test because they respond…they sensitive now,” said Shaq during the podcast.

According to the ‘Big Aristotle,’ his criticisms are like a test to see if players either learn from them or push back. Shaq mentioned that most players fail his test, like Gobert, because they respond defensively. Now, as the season has started, it seems that if Gobert had listened to Shaq’s criticisms, he might have helped his team win their opening game against the Lakers.