"Probably wore the Superman better" - Nick Young on the real reason why Shaquille O'Neal dislikes Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal had a lot in common in the early part of their NBA careers. Both were Orlando Magic's No. 1 overall picks, and both led the team to the Finals only to lose to a veteran squad. They both even left the Magic to join the LA Lakers.

But despite all the similarities, D12 never quite achieved the same level of success as 'Diesel' after leaving Orlando. One thing Howard did do, though, was make the nickname 'Superman' his own, and according to Nick Young , that's what sparked the long-standing tensions between the two centers.

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Shaq has never given up the 'Superman' to Dwight

It's no surprise to anyone that the 7'1" center has showcased Superman-esque strength since his early days in the league. He bullied the defenders, eventually earning him that moniker. After some time, the three-time Finals MVP even got a Superman logo tattooed on his left arm to show just how passionate he was about that nickname.

However, when Howard was reaching his peak, Shaq's career was winding down. In the 2007-08 season, when the former registered his second All-Star nod, 'The Big Aristotle' missed out on the same accolade after eight seasons.

So, with the opportunity at his disposal, the 6'10" center stole all the limelight by wearing the Superman cape in the Slam Dunk Contest that weekend. After Howard won the contest as Superman, he was even later announced as such during the All-Star Game itself the next day.

Seeing fans start to associate the nickname more with the three-time DPOY than himself didn't sit well with Shaq. The 15-time All-Star couldn't help but claim that he was worthy of being that moniker rather than Howard.

"Superman is still mine, " O'Neal said . "He has to do something first to be called Superman. Anyone can win a slam-dunk contest. The real Superman is dead."

Young on the real reason why Shaq hates Howard

In a recent episode of Dwight's podcast, 'Above The Rim,' Swaggy P highlighted that the root of Shaq's long-standing grudge against Dwight stems from the latter taking on the Superman persona.

"He probably wore the 'Superman' better. That's why he was mad, " Young said . "I'm saying that's why he probably don't like you… Sh*t."

While Diesel has recently claimed that he has never harbored hatred for Dwight and that his televised critiques were meant to push the 8-time All-Star to reach his potential, the underlying reality seems clear. Although the four-time NBA Champion may have matured in his outlook, his earlier remarks revealed his true feelings on the matter.

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