So Dwight Howard has said goodbye — maybe. But before he steps away from the hardwood for good, the eight-time All-Star made sure that he posted a fitting farewell. It was a carousel on Instagram that had the basketball world doing a double-take. The post showed moments from his debut season with the LA Riot in the BIG3, the dunks, the crowd, and the energy that mirrored the peak years of Howard’s prime. Nestled within the frames, however, was something even louder than the action on the court: Shaquille O’Neal.

“Season 1 in the books. I know I said this was my last year, but I don’t know if I can go out like that,” Howard wrote in the caption, closing it with a nod to his Riot teammates and the BIG3 family. Among the highlight clips was a video of Howard shouting, “Let’s start a riot, baby,” followed by glimpses of games and crowd reactions.

But it was the surprise appearance of Shaq exclaiming “Ohhh just missed a jam. Just missed a jam. C’mon Dwight,” during a BIG3 playoff game that took the cake. Howard posted the clip on one of the slides of his carousal. It captured Shaq reacting live on CBS as Howard nearly threw down a vintage jam. 

Their presence together, captured again in a photo where they stood side by side, hand in hand, was the confirmation of the beef finally ending. Not in the Hall of Fame spotlight, or a TNT segment, but courtside at a Big3 game, finally on the same page.

The Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard feud stems from long-standing comparisons between the two dominant big men, with Shaq often accusing Howard of copying his persona and “Superman” nickname without earning it. Their rivalry intensified during Howard’s Orlando Magic days, when he led the team to the 2009 NBA Finals, drawing parallels to Shaq’s own early career in Orlando. Shaq publicly downplayed Howard’s accomplishments, questioning his skills and resume compared to his own Hall of Fame career. Howard, meanwhile, expressed disappointment that a legend he looked up to constantly criticized him instead of offering support.

Both No. 1 picks by the Orlando Magic, then played for the Lakers. For years, Shaq took aim at Howard’s game and personality, from TNT’s desk to Shaqtin’ A Fool. Howard wore the criticism publicly, but the pain was obvious.

Reunion ends years long feud 

The O’Neal-Howard beef was one, which no one never thought would resolve. Shaq once threw Howard’s birthday cake on air. “I was like, ‘Dang, is he really pissed off at me?’” Dwight later shared. Even when Dwight led the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals, Shaq dismissed it, but the turning point finally came in 2025. 

O’Neal explained his criticism as tough love. “I wanted to get you so fuing mad and so angry that you’d hate me,” he told Howard. “I just needed you to play at that fuing higher level.” And somehow, over podcasts and playoffs, that old energy cracked open into something resembling mutual respect. Howard even asked Shaq to present him at the Hall of Fame. “That’s my guy,” Shaq said in April. But when the official list dropped, O’Neal’s name was missing. The moment was lost, or so it seemed.

But then at a Big3 playoff game between the LA Riot and the Chicago Triplets, Shaq made his first live appearance at a Big3 event, and cheered on Howard from the stands. Howard’s BIG3 debut wasn’t smooth. His opening game ended with a fight against Lance Stephenson and a viral ejection. But over the course of the season, he became the face of the LA Riot.

Ice Cube had pursued him for years. Now, Howard is saying this might not actually be the last? Meanwhile, Shaq showing up was the final piece of a reconciliation that, at one point, seemed impossible. The feud may not have ended at a Hall of Fame podium, but it ended courtside in Dallas, with Shaq clapping, yelling, and cheering on Dwight’s new chapter.