“Put Shaq first team”: Dwight Howard bats for Lakers legend after best All-Quarter Century Team snub 

CBS Sports Network recently shared its All-NBA teams of the past 25 years on social media. The decision to place Shaquille O’Neal on the Second Team instead of the First sparked frustration among fans, with Dwight Howard also weighing in.

Howard, who has had a long-standing rivalry with O’Neal, posted a screenshot of the three graphics from Instagram, showing the First, Second and Third Teams, on his X account. Alongside the post, he voiced his opinion that O’Neal was misplaced.

“Put Shaq first team …” Howard captioned his X post.

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Shaq featured on the Second Team list alongside Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dwight Howard, joined by many other social media users, believed that O’Neal should have been elevated to the First Team, where Nikola Jokic was slotted next to Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Tim Duncan.

Supporters argue that while Jokic edges Shaq in MVP awards since 2000, O’Neal’s resume is far more attractive. The Lakers legend has three more championships, two more Finals MVPs, a scoring title, multiple All-Star and All-NBA nods and three All-Defensive selections.

Howard also found himself a part of this prestigious list, earning the Third Team center spot next to Steve Nash, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Dirk Nowitzki.

Shaquille O’Neal Will Attend Dwight Howard’s Hall of Fame Induction

Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard have had a long-standing feud since the late 2000s over the nickname “Superman.” While the tension carried on for years, their relationship has softened in recent history.

This week, O’Neal confirmed that the beef is officially squashed. Speaking at a recent BIG3 game, he revealed that he will be among the five players presenting Howard at his Hall of Fame induction.

“He’ll be at the Hall of Fame in a couple of weeks, and I’ll be there,” O’Neal confirmed at a recent BIG3 game.

Howard, thrilled by the news, showed his appreciation with a heartfelt message on X. He shared photos and videos from their meeting at the BIG3 contest and offered O’Neal a tribute by calling him “Superman.”

“History to be made 🙏🏾 Thank you Superman 🫡”

Dwight Howard

@DwightHoward

History to be made 🙏🏾 Thank you Superman 🫡

Howard is set to enter the Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class, which also includes Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and others.

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About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia is an NBA, WNBA, and tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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