The veteran All Star big man feels Howard needs to win atleast three NBA championships before he can take his spot in terms of legacy....
There is not a shadow of a doubt in the fact that Shaquille O’Neal does not like Dwight Howard.
The two have been at odds ever since Howard copied Shaq’s nickname, ‘superman’. Shaq may also feel like Howard is after his legacy as the most dominant centre to play the game of basketball. These are two players from two generations
who play the same position, so it is a given that comparisons will always be made.
Shaq took his feelings for Howard to a whole new level during an interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Howard is adopting the same course that Shaq once took during his days in the NBA, moving from the Orlando Magic to
the Los Angeles Lakers.
Shaq is a household name in L.A, and one of the greatest players in franchise history. Howard is looking to share Shaq’s legacy, and Shaq feels he isn’t on the same level yet.
“I don’t have a reaction. You have to care to have a reaction. I’ve got businesses to run. I always tell people that in order to step in my shoes you have big shoes to fill. For him, he’s going to have to at least win three to
get people’s respect,” said Shaq when asked about Howard’s arrival in L.A.
Although Shaq may not have the best feelings for Howard, the point he makes is actually correct.
Howard has put himself in the spotlight by demanding a trade from the Orlando Magic, and ultimately landing in Los Angeles. Whether he likes it or not, he will be judged and analyzed the same way LeBron James was when he made his
blockbuster decision to move to the Miami Heat. And like LeBron, putting up consistent numbers and having great individual performances will not be enough.
Howard will have to win multiple NBA championships if he wants to prove Shaq and the rest of the world that he is in the same league as some of the top centre players in the NBA. He also has a long task ahead of him in terms of
improving his image, which was badly damaged during the fall out with Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, and the ensuing saga that led to him being traded to the Lakers.
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