Dwight Howard didn't hesitate when naming Shaquille O'Neal's ex-teammate who belongs with Michael Jordan in the GOAT debate

The beef between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal has been festering for almost 15 years now.

The two former NBA centres first clashed over who had the right to be called the NBA's Superman.

It began in 2010, when Howard began to use the nickname. The then-Orlando Magic big man then donned a red cape and lit up the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend with a stunning leap from the foul line. O'Neal, who claimed the Superman monicker among his many pseudonyms, was not impressed.

"I would like, instead of people fighting over a nickname, for us to be able to talk about what it's like to win a championship," Howard said at the time. "Just little things that him being who he is can help me."

Shaquille O'Neal won four NBA championships in his career. (Image: Getty)

And the fallout has escalated again recently. "Never disrespected him," Howard said about O'Neal on Ray Daniels' The GAUDs show. "But he's always had something to say. There's times where I've gotten upset and I'm like, 'Yo, Shaq, this gotta stop, man.' I tried to [talk to him]."

O'Neal responded on X: "@DwightHoward the fact u think I care about u is funny, but I won't ever bring your name up again sensitive big man, a jokester that can't take a joke. Won't ever say your name again ever again. Have a great day and now u have been deleted. Have a great day. #inevercared #trustme #dontneedvalidationyoudo #stayoffpodcasts #thefactyouthinkicareisfunny #yougottashowrespecttogetrespect #nowyouredeadtome"

And while Howard might not have wanted to emulate O'Neal's achievements in the game and style on the court – although they both had spells with the Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers during their respective career – he did have a huge admiration for one of Shaq's former teammates.

Speaking last year on Gilbert's Arenas' podcast, the former Los Angeles Lakers centre said: “I think Kobe [Bryant is] better than [Michael Jordan] skill-wise. He took everything Jordan did and multiplied it. He did it better.”

However, speaking last summer on his own podcast, Howard ranked Bryant just fourth in his personal list of NBA greats, with LeBron James – alongside whom he won a title with the Lakers in 2020 – third and Jordan second.

"My personal 1A GOAT Kareem Abdul-Jabbar," he said.

"He got the greatest stat line probably, and he should be the greatest with all the stuff he got. He won at every level, first of all, he won with two different names, didn't he? He was the greatest Lew Alcindor in the world then changed his name to Kareem Abdul Jabbar."