The 2025 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class was recently announced and among those to enter is former Los Angeles Lakers big man Dwight Howard. Though Howard hasn’t been in the NBA since 2022, he has found himself in the news off and on thanks to an seemingly ongoing beef with Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal.
The beef seemed to begin over the ‘Superman’ nickname, but jabs were traded in the media back and forth over the years with Howard even suggesting earlier this year that the two may need to actually fight. This is why it came as a surprise to many that Howard went on social media and listed O’Neal as one of the people he wanted to walk him out during the Hall of Fame ceremony:
I want KG , Shaq, and Kareem to walk me out 🙏🏾 #hof
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) April 5, 2025
Considering there had been no news of the two squashing their beef, many may have assumed that there was no chance of Shaq actually walking Howard out at the Hall of Fame. But to the surprise of many, the Lakers legend agreed to do it in the latest episode of The Big Podcast, even going as far as calling Howard his guy:
Shaq has agreed to walk @DwightHoward out at the Hall of Fame 👏
“That’s my guy” pic.twitter.com/4Obb0HzfCd
— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) April 10, 2025
This was something nobody saw coming, but it seems as if Howard and Shaq have buried the hatchet behind closed doors and are now on good terms. No matter what anyone feels about either, this is a far better outcome than the two actually coming to blows.
And Howard would thank Shaq for agreeing to be part of the ceremony along with a who’s who of the greatest big men the NBA has ever seen:
Shaq appreciate you man it will be an honor to have you KG, DROD , Hakeem and Kareem walk me into the Basketball Heavens #hof 🙏🏾
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) April 10, 2025
Two all-time greats and members of the Lakers family supporting each other is always great to see and now we can all finally put the beef between O’Neal and Howard to rest.
Dwight Howard joins Carmelo Anthony, 2008 Redeem Team as part of 2025 Hall of Fame class
Dwight Howard isn’t the only former Lakers player to be part of the 2025 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class as Carmelo Anthony also was announced to be part of the class.
Along with Howard and Anthony are women’s basketball stars Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, current Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, the 2008 USA Mens Olympic Basketball Team aka ‘The Redeem Team’, retired official Danny Crawford and Miami Heat owner Micky Arison.
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