Dwight Howard pinpoints one Shaquille O’Neal incident that led to feud as the two bigs squash years-long beef

Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Dwight Howard may be on good terms now, but it wasn't that long ago that the two were in the midst of a bitter feud.

For years O'Neal would take jabs at Howard, as he says, to motivate him to be great, the same way legendary big men did to him during his career. Now, with Howard set to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in September, and O'Neal set to walk him out for his enshrinement, the two are on good terms.

During a guest appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the two cleared the air for fans, addressing what O'Neal called the elephant in the room. As Howard explained, the big catalyst for their beef was when O'Neal knocked a cake with his face on it off the table during an episode of Inside the NBA three years ago.

At the time, O'Neal and the Inside the NBA crew were celebrating his 50th birthday. After the big man was presented with a gift bag, the TNT crew brought out a birthday cake for Shaq, but with a picture of Dwight Howard on it.

In response, O'Neal knocked it off the desk, pretending that he didn't see it. According to Howard, the moment kick-started their feud.

"You picked up my cake and just threw it on the ground. I was like 'Hey is he really pissed off at me?'"

Dwight Howard set to join Ice Cube's Big3 league for 2025 season under LA Riot coach Nick Young

For years, Dwight Howard had been angling for an opportunity to get back in the NBA. Following the 2021-22 season, which he spent with the LA Lakers following a one-year stint in Philly, Howard hit free agency.

After 18 years in the league, however, the market for a traditional big man in the twilight years of his career seemed to have disappeared.

Despite his efforts to get back into the league, which included a multi-day workout with the Golden State Warriors ahead of the 2022-23 season, Dwight Howard never returned to the NBA.

Instead, he took his talents overseas to Taiwan, where he impressed fans with his play.

Now, ahead of his enshrinement in the Hall of Fame in September, Howard has committed to playing in Ice Cube's Big3 league as part of the LA Riot, a team that will be coached by fellow NBA vet Nick Young.

The league is set to tip off the 2025 season on Saturday, Jun. 14 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, with action set to run through Aug. 24.