ALLAN THE MAN

Shaquille O’Neal isn’t the only Hall of Fame former Lakers center taking shots at Dwight Howard on his way out of LA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar thinks little of Howard’s game and maturity. 

Per Cap’s Facebook and ESPN: “‘Dwight Howard is a perfect example of the fact that ‘potential has a shelf life.’ Laker fans should be patient and allow Mitch & company to prepare themselves to do some serious work in the free agent market.’ [...] 

Both O’Neal and Abdul-Jabbar were critical of Howard even before he decided to leave the Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar told the San Francisco Chronicle last month he met Howard only once and that Howard expressed an interest in learning from the former Lakers captain but he never again reached out to Abdul-Jabbar. 

‘He’s charming, he’s charismatic, very nice young man,’ Abdul-Jabbar said. ‘Maturity-wise, he doesn’t get it.’ When Abdul-Jabbar was asked about teaching Howard the sky hook, he said, ‘At least he’d have an offensive move. 

He gets the ball on offense, oh my God, he doesn’t know what to do. It’s usually a turnover, people come and take the ball from him or tie his arms up. Offensively, he doesn’t get it. Hasn’t made any progress. We (the Lakers, when Abdul-Jabbar was a special assistant coach) played them in ’09, and when I saw him this past season, he was the same player.’ O’Neal was just as harsh in his criticism of Howard when he was on ESPNLA 710 last month. 

‘He’s too nice,’ O’Neal said. ‘I’m a connoisseur of giggling and playing and all that and making you laugh and playing with the fans, but when I cross that line, I’m ready to tear your face off. I don’t care who it is. You could put one of my aunts or uncles out there, and I’m going to give him these elbows in their chest and I’m going to throw it down in their face. That’s what you have to do. … He’s just too nice. If I was him, I would get into the same mood I was in.’”

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