Dwight Howard claps back at Shaquille O’Neal dig about playing in Taiwan

德懷特·霍華德回擊俠客·歐尼爾關於在台灣打球的挖苦

‘Do not disrespect my teammates in this league and these people in Taiwan like that’: Howard

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —Former NBA star big man Dwight Howard hit back at Shaquille O’Neal over his downplaying of Howard’s recent move to play ball in Taiwan.

During a Thursday (Nov. 24) episode of The Big Podcast with O’Neal, Nischelle Turner, and Spice Adams, O’Neal brushed off Howard’s play for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 League, according to Sports Illustrated.

“You should never be complimented for being a good father because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right?” O’Neal said. “He’s supposed to have 30 points playing against dudes 5’8”."

After catching wind of O’Neal’s remarks, Howard jumped on Instagram Live to share his thoughts and told O’Neal to “stop hating,” per Sports Illustrated.

“I have never in my life came at you about your basketball career, your family, your kids or anything of the sort. Because there’s no need to. The world is too big to hate on another man. … Have I joked about, I’ve mimicked your voice, have I mimicked what I see on TV? Everybody do that. Comedians do that. People do that all the time. And I do it all the time, I do that to everybody. But I do not hate on people” Howard said.

O’Neal also criticized the T1 League saying, “This league reminds me of the Life Time Fitness league every Saturday when I go to workout on Saturdays.”

Howard responded to that by saying, “I saw a video of you talking about me playing basketball in Taiwan and I’m playing at the Life Time League. Do not disrespect my teammates in this league and these people in Taiwan like that. That is highly disrespectful and it’s hating. And you too old to be hating. You too big to be hating. You suppose to be Superman, the original Superman. Shaquille O’Neal. The original Superman is hating? The OG Superman is hating?”

Eight-time NBA All-Star Howard has been welcomed with open arms by Taiwanese basketball fans who have been filling up seats at Leopards games to catch the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year in action since his first game for the T1 League on Nov. 19.