Shaquille O’Neal’s career has been about dominating headlines as much as it has been about dominating the hardwood. From his public feud with Kobe Bryant that nearly tore apart the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty to his infamous “Hack-a-Shaq” free throw struggles that changed the NBA defensive strategies, O’Neal has always been at the center of basketball’s most heated debates. However, as he was still cooling down from his recent feud with the French star Rudy Gobert, it seems like he has got himself into another one.

The saga began when the former NBA champion made a post on X that featured Shaq talking about the ‘Superman’ controversy along with a screenshot from Instagram. The seven-footer, given his larger-than-life personality, spared no time in targeting the 38-year-old, as the screenshot showed Shaq’s comment that read, “U can’t call yourself me and have one ring that u was a role player in getting. It’s only one baby. And he’s I said it.”

Afterward, Dwight Howard shared the whole interaction on his social media account with the caption, “The fact that we can’t end this one sided beef is petty.” To say that the fans were not happy with Shaq’s comments is an understatement.

But what is the Superman controversy? The rivalry between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal, two NBA giants, was fueled by more than just their on-court battles. The Lakers veteran was always regarded as the ‘Superman’ given his giant body and playing antics. However, it didn’t take long for things to change. During the 2008 Slam Dunk contest, Howard was seen representing his team Orlando Magic by rocking a Superman shirt and cape. Upon that, D-12 even managed to win the contest that year. The seven-footer at that time had stated this as an act of stealing his identity and to this day, Shaq targets Howard on various occasions just to take revenge.

Moreover, we see that Howard is tired of Shaq’s constant targeting; the fans are also not quite happy with his behavior.

Fans are not happy with what Shaquille O’Neal has said

The whole NBA world has been following the recent drama between Shaq and Gobert, and one thing’s for sure- the Lakers legend doesn’t know when to stop. When Gobert had made a public post calling out Shaq for targeting someone on the subject of money, Shaq dismissed the player as sensitive. This same aspect of Big Diesel’s behavior was highlighted by the fans as they wrote, “Well you know shaq loves drama,” while another one wrote, “Shaq needs to move on.”

As mentioned earlier, the feud has been going on for over a decade and now fans also know that it is not worth carrying on with it. Moreover, Howard had earlier mentioned that after becoming a part owner of the team Taiwan Mustangs, his responsibilities had doubled, and a fan was quick to take up on that matter by commenting, “I say let it go Dwight it’s not worth more of your time.”

Moreover, while other veteran players who have retired are focusing on their lives and how to help the community by engaging in more and more philanthropic funds, the seven-footer here is busy passing unfiltered comments on other players and one of the fans had a suggestion for him. “@SHAQ needs to go on and sit on the front porch and enjoy his years,” wrote the fan.

However, even though most of the fans were hating on Shaq, one highlighted the fun-loving nature of the Lakers veteran. There have been many instances, like his frequent playful jibes at the other analysts on Inside the NBA, that show that the Big Aristotle often doesn’t mean his words but uses them in a joking way. “@SHAQ is Shaqing! It’s all Love,” said the fan.

Though the big man has been on the receiving end of some hot words from the fans, what are your thoughts on the same? Do you think it is justified?

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger