Friday, October 5th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  150 responses

Dwight Howard Fires Back at Shaq: ‘Your Time is Up’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Shaquille O’Neal, in his role as television analyst, continues to push forward his silly idea that Dwight Howard is anything but the NBA’s best center. O’Neal — who has a confounding history of belittling Howard at virtually every opportunity he gets — contends that Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez are better, truer big men.

Dwight Howard was asked about this yesterday following practice, and the Lakers’ center let it be known that O’Neal needs to move on, and that Howard hopes to be a different (more positive) voice once he retires from the game.

Per the LA Daily News and OC Register:

“I don’t care what Shaq says,” Howard said of the former Lakers center, who also moved from Orlando to Los Angeles amid much teeth gnashing in central Florida. “Shaq played the game. He’s done. He’s gone. It’s time to move on. He hated the fact when he played that the older guys were talking about him and how he played and now he’s doing the exact same thing,” Howard said of O’Neal. “Just let it go. There’s no sense for him to be talking trash to me. He did his thing in the league. He’s one of the most dominant players to ever play the game. Just sit back and relax. You did your thing. Your time is up. So, I don’t really care. He can say whatever he wants to say.”

“I have respect for him and what he did for basketball. That’s it. Like I said, he has already did his thing. He played. When my time is up, there’s going to be somebody else who can do everything I can do and probably do it better. Instead of me talking about him, I’ll do my job to try to help him get to where I’m at. I think that’s what guys who have done it before us should do.”

It’s unlikely that Shaquille O’Neal will do anything but talk even more trash going forward, and the sooner Dwight Howard realizes that (and ignores it), the better off he’ll be.

As for Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez, they will have plenty of opportunities to prove their worth once the season begins.

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  • Big Time Laker Fan31

    Shaq is my guy. The cat was dominant. Awesome career. Even born on the right day. Same as me. But… Dwight is right. He needs to move on. Kudos to Dwight Howard for not lashing out and showing some class. Now… Just get rings baby.

  • http://www.facebook.com/shooting.guard.319 Shooting Guard

    i know shaq talks alot but he’s got the rings to back up all the talk so dwight shouldn’t worry about him

  • danpowers

    thats a disgrace for drexler and jordan

  • http://www.facebook.com/james.alexander.7568 James Alexander

    Dwight is right. I like Shaq (in some respects) but mostly because he was a Laker and helped Kobe win some Championships. He has always had an ego problem and a hater. Move on Shaq; and as Dwight stated, you time is up and you should leave it at that. There are far too many haters in this world. Try lifting somebody up instead of putting them down.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    He’s not a good analyst at all even though he knows the game. His analysis of Dwight is clearly biased based on his feelings towards him.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Dwight’s a playful guy, doesn’t mean he copied Shaq’s style and persona. The only reason some think he copied him is because he’s the only big man since Shaq who shows his sense of humor publicly. If you want a clear example of a player copying another’s style and persona, that’s Kobe copying Jordan all the way down to the way he walks. Superman is a nickname that Shaq gave himself. He took it and is taking this way too seriously. He’s a grown man basically holding a grudge because another player also likes Superman.

  • http://twitter.com/SportsChump ChrisHumpherys

    Isn’t Shaq paid to be an analyst? It’s time for Dwight to just shut up and play already.

    Besides, he’ll forever now be compared to Shaq considering their career paths. Better end up with four rings there, bra, or you’ll forever live in the shadow of the Big Aristotle.

    http://sportschump.net/2012/09/19/the-newest-laker-revitalizes-my-inner-hate-as-a-sports-fan/10091/

  • rodjpr

    You know how to shut Shaq, have a MONSTER record year and don’t answer back. Your performance on and off the court will talk for you. BTW, I am not a fan of DH.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    The true Superman is dead, Christopher Reeves. Which makes this whole thing more ridiculous than it sounds. It’s a fictional superhero. Another Superman movie is about to come out so I guess Shaq will be offended again and criticize the movie.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Did you hear his comments? How is he running away from the situation? He told Shaq to sit down somewhere and enjoy his retirement. That’s not running away.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    That childish, gimmicky crap won him the Dunk Contest (along with great dunks) and also created more hype for the next one.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    I did see Steve’s face and I can’t wait to hear the whole segment. But I think Shaq was so dominant because of the size and strength that he had naturally. He brought down the goal multiple times before he started to really gain weight. Dwight was a rather skinny guy until he really hit the weights. He’s worked harder to be where he is than Shaq worked to do what he did. It doesn’t take away from what Shaq did, but let’s not act like Shaq dominated guys because of how much time he put in during the offseason.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    It’s not criticism really though. It boils down to “You took my nickname that I gave myself and are now playing in LA where I played so I don’t like you.” Really immature and childish. It’s not about his game. If it was serious analysis, Shaq wouldn’t have thought to mention Brook Lopez in the same sentence with a guy who won 3 straight Defensive Player of the Year Awards and has been the best big man in basketball for long enough for everyone to agree that he is exactly that.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    It’s time for Shaq to just shut up and let Dwight play.

  • danpowers

    i would be careful about saying that shaq was not as hard working as others were to get to the level he was. shaq was not only big and strong, there are plenty of big and strong guys who couldnt / cant play. shaq was also really quick, mobile, had good ballhandling skills for a big man. he was even running fastbreaks from coast to coast after a defensive rebound. shaq also spent time doing martial arts training and he was working on his quickness. we dont have the comparison because we didnt see the two going at each other as established stars but by watching tape shaq seems to be faster and quicker than howard is even though shaq was taller and heavier.

    his dna surely helped him, but i highly doubt that anyone could be that dominant without putting alot of hard work into it. he might got a little sloppy during some off seasons when he was established but the work he put into his body and game before must have been tremendous.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    I wonder what Shaq would say if Michael Beasley suddenly started calling himself “The Big Cactus” or if Jared Sullinger called himself “The Big Shamrock”.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    i would not react how Shaq is. That’s ridiculous. We are supposed to support Shaq because Dwight just so happens to be similar physically, and got drafted by the same team? And the nickname was not “stolen” – he used the cape for a dunk in the dunk contest, in which the said Dunk was so “entertaining” (whatever you want to call it) that people just started calling him super man. He never just went out and got a superman tattoo on his arm and coined the name for himself like Shaq did. Shaq is acting like a jealous, petulant, child. And really for no good reason, as he is/was clearly a much more dominant player than Dwight is.
    .
    Shaq feels threatened, that is the only logical reason for him acting the way he his, ignoring all reason to downgrade what everyone views as the closest thing to him since he retired.
    .
    I mean, saying Brook Lopez is better because he has more moves (after he criticized Dwight by saying he won’t be a great like Shaq “is” until he puts up a season of 30 and 15 – something Shaq never did himself) is the most ridiculous bullshit i have ever heard from the guy. Lopez had more moves than Shaq, so by saying what he said, considering Dwight’s strengths are the same ones Shaq had, Shaq is also saying Brook Lopez was a better player than himself.

  • Junior Taylor

    Shaq didn’t help Kobe win anything, he was the biggest reason the Lakers won 3 straight championships.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Howard is the most dominant big man in the game but far from the most skilled? Oh, you mean like Shaq was himself? KG and Duncan were more skilled than Shaq. Neither were more dominant.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    If Shaq really wants to be upset with someone over the whole Superman thing, he may have to look to his left every Thursday night and take issue with Kenny Smith who sang the Superman theme during that Dunk Contest that Dwight won. That may have stuck with people more than the cape.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    I guess Shaq must really hate Cam Newton’s guts then…

  • Junior Taylor

    So you’re telling me that Howard did not model his game (on/off the court) after Shaq? Come on now, every big man coming up through the HS ranks when Shaq was playing modeled their game in some shape or form after Shaq’s, Howard is the only one that seems to have perfected it in some ways. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing but for y’all to sit here and act like Howard’s game was patented after Shaq’s is naive.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Uhm, how would Dwight have patterned his game? I don’t think it’s a pattern as much as what he can and can’t do. He just is naturally similar to Shaq. And since when is being upset that a guy plays similar to you a good excuse to be stupid? If Jordan came out and said Kobe was no better than Kevin Martin because Martin is a better shooter would you defend him because he is upset Kobe plays so similarly? FUCK NO YOU WOULDN’T.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    touché

  • http://www.slamonline.com/ Nick Tha Quick

    I don’t understand why people get upset when a player models their game after them. Isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery? There is almost no totally brand new way a player can play these days that hasn’t been done by someone else before. Whatever it is your doing, someone else played the exact same way before you. The few exeptions may be Dirk’s shooting game and Super Mario’s unquestionable clutchness.

  • Arnett Counts

    Shaq is really silly, after watching a LAZY Bynum or a very limited Lopez and compare them to Superman, err, Howard. Shaq must be hating that D12 is in LA and is about to get some rings…

  • shutup

    I beg to differ, I think Shaq wants to see more from Dwight, The only thing Dwight did better than Shaq in their first 5 years despite how much people think of Dwight being this defensive powerhouse is roughly 2 trb, Shaq had similiar block per game numbers and truth be told Shaq’s 8th year numbers compared to Dwights is better in almost every way and Shaq led the league in scoring that year. Shaq 29.7ppg 3 blocks per game 13.6 rebounds, Dwight 20.6, 2.1 and 14.5; also Shaq had better assist numbers 3.8 to Dwight’s 1.9 and Shaq had a better fg% by a very slim .001 but thats on 8 more attempts per game and Shaq shot a better ft%. I think Shaq has all the right in the world to criticize Dwight. Oh btw fyi Dwight has never avg more than 2.9 blocks per game, ever, Shaq has done it twice and his career high is 3.5 in his rookie year.

  • Junior Taylor

    Listen, I’m not defending Shaq because him saying that Bynum and especially Brook Lopez are better than Howard has to be one of the stupidest statements ever made. I’m just trying to get into Shaq’s mind and figure out why he continues to take shots at Howard. It’s obvious when you see the similarities in their games. MJ would never say anything bad about Kobe because he is not as petty/childish as Shaq

  • shutup

    Shaq can say whatever he wants about Dwight he’s earned that right through his play on the court, I just think Shaq wants to see more from Dwight, The only thing Dwight did better than Shaq in their first 5 years despite how much people think of Dwight being this defensive powerhouse is roughly 2 trb, Shaq had similiar block per game numbers and truth be told Shaq’s 8th year numbers compared to Dwights is better in almost every way and Shaq led the league in scoring that year. Shaq 29.7ppg 3 blocks per game 13.6 rebounds, Dwight 20.6, 2.1 and 14.5; also Shaq had better assist numbers 3.8 to Dwight’s 1.9 and Shaq had a better fg% by a very slim .001 but thats on 8 more attempts per game and Shaq shot a better ft%. I think Shaq has all the right in the world to criticize Dwight. Oh btw fyi Dwight has never avg more than 2.9 blocks per game, ever, Shaq has done it twice and his career high is 3.5 in his rookie year.I wanted to post this were everybody could see.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    He also has the right to sound stupid which he does to almost everyone every time he talks about Dwight. If he wanted to see more, he should have just said it along with acknowledging that Dwight is the best center in basketball instead of saying that Brook Lopez is a better center. He doesn’t want to see more. He wants to berate Dwight in order to maintain some kind of relevancy now that he’s no longer playing. Don’t care about comparing the two players. Dwight is the best center in basketball today. The only one who doesn’t think so and is talking about it often is Shaq and it has nothing to do with how he plays regardless of what he says. Charles Barkley knows it which is why he always says Shaq needs to let that Superman thing go.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    You’re already in Shaq’s mind as far as I can tell. He’s petty and childish when it comes to Dwight. That’s really it.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Word has it that Oscar Robertson wants LeBron to stop getting all those
    triple doubles and Magic Johnson wants him to stop making too many great passes
    because they also don’t like being copied.

  • T-man

    Preach!!!!

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Shaq feels threatened!!! that’s what i’ve been saying. he shouldn’t feel threatened, as Dwight is no Shaq on the court, but he obviously does. There is no other real reason to act this way. A guy patterning his game after you should be flattering, especially if your Shaq and don’t have a real “pattern” to your game anyway.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    bruh, i couldn’t agree more

  • LakeShow

    What’s your point on the blocks? He still wasn’t the defender Dwight is. We all know Shaq was better overall by quite a margin. What are you arguing?

  • T-man

    haha! Too funny.

  • LakeShow

    Agree 95% (Everything minus the Chalmers spiel :)

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    hahaha lol

  • http://twitter.com/PrinceLacey22 Prince Thomas Lacey

    Check out some of my highlights ya’ll!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOGAdCbXg7E

  • bike

    When a cape and a phone booth act win the dunk contest, any hype that is created for the next one is hope that the silly gimmick era is over.

  • vtrobot

    Really? I know that he has the tattoo, but I don’t think he actually could have used anything Superman-related on any real product because DC/Marvel (?) wouldn’t have allowed that. Maybe someone should get DC/Marvel to serve them both with a cease and desist and have them STFU and stick to lame letter/number nicknames.

  • K_HOLIDAY

    He aint even say Brooke was better… He said Robin was, then had to be corrected. Either way, I think Candace Parker is better than both the Lopez brothers, so its def disrespectful for him to say either one of them is better than Howard!

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Verified Account

    Shaq just being shaq

  • Slick Ric

    You know shaq is hating when he says something as erroneous as this. How the hell is brook lopez better than Dwight. lol

  • Comment_System

    um, dwight didnt even say anything to start with. wtf are you going on about?

  • Brahsef

    This feud will end up in an all time youtube vid with dwight mushin shaq or vice versa

  • k

    if you were born from 98 to 2012 shut up cause you didnt see shaq in his prime or early years…now shaq should have gave dwight tips or something like that but as far as superman talk…thats shaq’s first nba nickname… dwight howard is also right shaq’s time is up…but he has 4 rings also..shaq might be challenging dwight in a weird way…think about it…

  • shutup

    exactly that, there is a misconception that Dwight is a better defender than Shaq and its just not true. Shaq is Dwights superior or at least equal in every facet of the game, even on defense. Numbers don’t lie. Also Shaq was better at guarding his own man compared to Dwight, while guarding better players overall. Just because Dwight is the best we have now doesnt make him better than Shaq.

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Verified Account

    I agree

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