Dwight Howard has publicly named Shaquille O’Neal—one of his most outspoken critics—as one of the legends he wants by his side when he enters the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Howard, who was recently elected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer for the Class of 2025, tweeted on Sunday that he wants O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to walk him out during the enshrinement ceremony.
“I want KG, Shaq, and Kareem to walk me out 🙏🏾 #hof,” the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year posted on X.
In a follow-up tweet, Howard acknowledged the emotional journey of his career and said he plans to fully embrace the moment.
“They said ‘You’re the happiest hall of famer’—hell yeah everything I went through in my career? Man I smiled through those storms so yeah I’m going to be happy and yeah I’m going to cry 😭🙏🏾 – First Ballot,” he wrote.
O’Neal has not publicly responded to the unexpected invitation.
The relationship between Howard and O’Neal has long been marked by criticism, with the Hall of Fame center often mocking Howard’s achievements and comparing their respective careers.
O’Neal has repeatedly dismissed Howard’s credentials, particularly in relation to their overlapping time with the Lakers, where Howard won a championship in 2020.
Despite the history of tension, Howard appears to be extending an olive branch at a pivotal moment in his basketball journey.
The 8-time All-Star’s induction comes after a decorated 18-year career that began as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
Howard spent his prime with the Orlando Magic, where he led the franchise to the 2009 NBA Finals and established himself as one of the most dominant defensive forces in the league.
Over his career, he averaged 17.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while being named to eight All-NBA teams.
He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award three consecutive times from 2009 to 2011 and led the league in rebounding five times.
Howard’s lone NBA championship came with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, a title he won during his second stint with the franchise after briefly falling out of the league.
Howard also represented Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning gold as the starting center on a roster that included Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Now headed for enshrinement in Springfield, the former Magic star is seeking a powerful symbolic gesture by asking O’Neal—his fiercest critic—to be part of the ceremony.
The Hall of Fame tradition allows new inductees to select former legends to present or walk them out during their induction, often as a sign of respect or personal connection.
Whether O’Neal accepts the invitation remains to be seen, but his response—if it comes—will be closely watched by fans and media alike.
