Dwight Howard calls out Shaq over Taiwan criticism

Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) arrives at Toyota Center before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Add another chapter to the long-running feud between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal.

Howard took issue with recent comments Shaq made about his monster debut in the Taiwanese league. Despite Howard’s huge stat line, Shaq was not particularly impressed, as he compared the T1 League to “the Lifetime Fitness league every Saturday when I go work out.”

The comments made their way back to Howard, who issued a response of his own on Friday.

“I saw a video of you talking about me playing basketball in Taiwan, and I’m playing at the Lifetime Fitness league. Do not disrespect my teammates and this league,” Howard said. “That’s highly disrespectful and it’s hating. You’re too old to be hating. You’re too big to be hating. You’re supposed to be Superman. The original Superman. The original Superman is hating?”

Howard actually does seem to be pretty annoyed at this latest barb from Shaq. The two have been at it for over a decade now, initially over Howard co-opting the “Superman” nickname Shaq had claimed during his playing days. Even now, years later, Shaq has refused to acknowledge Howard, even though Howard himself has seemed to take the whole thing a lot more lightly.

Shaq is not the only one who is going to be dismissive of Howard for putting up big stats in what is seen as an inferior league. As long as Howard is content, though, it really doesn’t matter.