And while they have had a fractured relationship over the years, right now it is all love between Dwight Howard<\/a> and bona fide NBA legend Shaquille O\u2019Neal<\/a>.<\/p>\n That does not mean the occasional home truth is off limits. In a new interview, Dwight Howard admitted there is one of Shaquille O\u2019Neal\u2019s former teammates who was a tougher matchup.<\/p>\n Shaquille O\u2019Neal is best remembered for winning three NBA titles with the LA Lakers, the last team in the league to achieve a three-peat, between 2000 and 2002.<\/p>\n But another part of Shaq\u2019s legacy is his fourth and final title, achieved with the Miami Heat<\/a> in 2006.<\/p>\n O\u2019Neal had a little help from fellow veteran Alonzo Mourning, a player taken one pick after him in the 1992 NBA Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n Speaking on the PBD Podcast, Dwight Howard says he regarded Alonzo Mourning was a scarier matchup than Shaquille O\u2019Neal, because of the aggressive way he played the game.<\/p>\n Howard explained: \u201cI felt like his motor was different. When we played against the Heat and they had him and Shaq, I would have rather going against Shaq than \u2018Zo.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly because \u2018Zo was going to give me a fight every play. \u2018Zo is a better defense, \u2018Zo was just out there on every play.\u201d<\/p>\n Howard\u2019s comments are unlikely to really offend Shaquille O\u2019Neal, and nor are they really a surprise.<\/p>\n For all O\u2019Neal\u2019s size and prowess, there was a sense that he left something on the table and could have gone up to an even higher level if he really committed to it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Dwight Howard followed Alonzo Mourning\u2019s late championship run<\/p>\n![\"Alonzo](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-1192338170-941x627.jpg\")
Photo by Wang HE\/Getty ImagesDwight Howard talks up Alonzo Mourning<\/p>\n