The official presenters for the 2025 class of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame is here. And it’s not completely what we were expecting. Its two main headliners didn’t get the complete grand picture they painted for us. Carmelo Anthony only didn’t get Michael Jordan as his dream presenter though he got Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade. But it’s Dwight Howard’s reps that left us scratching our heads. Especially after he sort of raised our expectations.
When he was officially announced as one of the 2025 inductees, Dwight Howard immediately tweeted his choice of presenters – a multi-generational lineup of big guys that included Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. That appeal also became the spark that ended Shaq and Dwight’s decades long feud publicly.
Now we know the official lineup of presentators for each HoF inductee. Howard’s got a larger squad. It’s just not what we’ve been fantasizing about.
Dominique Wilkins, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman, and Patrick Ewing, all legends Howard has said inspired him, will be welcoming him into the Hall of Fame. Doesn’t take science to figure out what’s different about this final decision.
It’s not clear if Shaquille O’Neal dropped out, if this was Howard’s decision, or simply creative license by the HoF committee is not known. The rules about the enshrinement process is not as clear as the nomination and voting procedures. Fans who were hoping to see Shaq and Dwight to turn a history of beefs and pettiness into a poetic full circle were extremely disappointed in the comments. Some criticized O’Neal too, assuming it’s his decision.
But it might not be an absolute thing yet. The HoF ceremony isn’t until September 6. It might be enough time for Shaq to write down a speech.
Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard reunion still possible
At the moment there’s no rule that bars non presenters from talking about the inductees. So there’s a small chance Shaquille O’Neal could be squeezed into the night’s programming for sentimental reasons. After all, this is also something NBA fans have been fantasizing about.
Just before this lineup was announced, LA Riot’s Dwight Howard even raised the anticipation for sharing this space with the 2016 inductee after a BIG3 game. “Whatever he says will be amazing, and I’m looking forward to that day,” Howard said about O’Neal presenting him at the HoF and possibly giving a speech. “This is what we play for, being in the Hall of Fame, and you know it’s like going to heaven.”
It made it confusing for fans who either questioned if Howard didn’t get a say or wondered if he knows Shaq didn’t make the cut. Some even theorized if the HoF committe is distancing itself from O’Neal’s recent comments.
While the HoF buried Shaq’s feud with Howard, it started another. HoF probability analysts favor Rudy Gobert but O’Neal said if that happened, he’d “Go in there and just rip my jersey out.” Now Shaq would still praise DH12 as a player throughout their feud. He doesn’t feel the same way about Gobert. His statements didn’t sit well with fans who felt they didn’t want this energy to ruin the vibes at the Hall of Fame ceremony.
Or it could be pure logistical reasons why O’Neal, as well as Michael Jordan, won’t be participating as presenters. We’ll see how that pans out unless Howard and O’Neal have something to say about this.
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