"History to be made" - Dwight Howard can’t hide emotions after Shaquille O'Neal confirms to present him at Hall of Fame ceremony

Dwight Howard can’t hide emotions after Shaquille O
Dwight Howard can’t hide emotions after Shaquille O'Neal confirms to present him (Image Source: IMAGN)

Dwight Howard is expected to be immortalized in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2025 alongside another NBA legend, Carmelo Anthony. While there's no surprise that the eight-time All-Star is headed to the Hall of Fame, what's shocking is who's going to present him at the event.

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After learning about Shaquille O'Neal's confirmation to walk out Howard at the Hall of Fame, the former Lakers champion couldn't hold back his emotions and thanked the Big Diesel.

"History to be made 🙏🏾 Thank you Superman 🫡," Howard wrote on X.
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This is an interesting move by O'Neal, considering the history both legends have with each other. O'Neal explained himself during Howard's latest game at Big 3.

"As a leader, sometimes you have to find different ways to motivate youngsters," O'Neal said about his previous beef with Howard. "That's all I did. So he'll be in the Hall of Fame in a couple of weeks ... I will be there."
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NBA legend thinks Dwight Howard wasn't a dominant player

Dwight Howard was a dominant defensive big man who made a slasher's life miserable in the paint. Howard is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, which is one of the major reasons why he is heading to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Despite his accolades as a center, a fellow big man doesn't see him in the same light. In NBA legend Abdul-Jabbar's book, Dwight Howard lacked the IQ to be a dominant player. Speaking on ESPN's First Take in 2013, he

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"Dwight is an extraordinary athlete, he has incredible athletic ability. But, basketball is a game where the most important muscle that you use is between your ears," Kareem said.
"Dwight's basketball IQ is not up to speed for him to be a dominant player."

While Abdul-Jabbar didn't necessarily break down how exactly Howard lacked in IQ, he did mention how easy it was for him to coach against him in the 2009 playoffs. Regardless of the NBA legend's opinion at the time, Howard still had an exemplary career and, as a result, is headed to the Hall of Fame.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra
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