This question was posed by suns.com during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend at Phoenix to NBA players and fans.
Even Gary Payton, Chris Webber and Ahmad Rashad had a funny argument over this.
For you guys who are in the dark as to how Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard were referenced to Superman, here’s a historical blow-by-blow account.
Shaquille O’Neal, who came into the league during the 1992-93 NBA season is the FIRST Superman.
He has a dominating presence in the basketball court and usually powers his way over hapless opponents for a monster jam.
Shaq actually refers to himself as Superman. Such was his passion for anything Superman that he pretty much lived the Man of Steel lifestyle.
For starters, he has a Superman tattoo…
… he also has a Superman Cadillac Escalade…
… has a house with a Superman pool and bed…
… has a Superman bus…
… has a Superman movie (he played Steel)…
… he also dons the Superman personality whether he is off the court (with his wife Shaunie during a Superman Returns screening)…
… or on the court (during player introductions before a Phoenix Suns home game)…
I think he also has a collection of Superman action figures and statues but couldn’t find a link to it from the internet.
Dwight Howard on the other hand is the NEW Superman. He came into the league during the 2004-05 NBA season. Like Shaq, he as an imposing physical specimen who never shies from delivering thunderous dunks. In fact, he leads the NBA today in dunks. He is also on track in becoming the first player since Ben Wallace during the 2001-02 season to lead the NBA in both rebounds and blocks averages.
However, it was his winning dunk at the 2008 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest that first earned him the Superman moniker.
During this year’s NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest, he again took on the Superman persona when he came out of a phone booth wearing a Superman cape…
… and Superman shoes…
Unfortunately, he was beaten by Nate Robinson who brought Superman’s weakness, the green kryptonite.
Dwight also wore a Man of Steel shoes during the All-Star game.
However, he was owned by Shaq on this play.
So, who is the REAL Superman now?
I like both players. They are both funny and likable guys and are both excellent NBA centers. In fact, for my NBA trading cards hobby, I collect them both. I even use the photoshopped image below as my signature for the trading cards online forums I am a member of.
So really, who’s the REAL Superman?
Shaquille O’Neal is the PRESENT Superman. Dwight Howard for the meantime is the FUTURE Superman in-waiting. It will remain that way until Shaq decides to retire and pass the torch to Dwight.
I’ll leave it at that. 
Please read my related posts:
- 2009 NBA Finals | The Black Mamba vs Superman This embarrassing welcome-to-the-NBA-I’m-the-black-mamba dunk did not happen. But this one’s not too shabby either. It happened during the 3rd quarter...
- 2010 NBA Playoffs First Round | Dwight Howard Has a New Nickname This might finally give Shaq peace of mind. Dwight Howard is Superman no more. In the Orlando Magic’s 99-90 Game...
- 2009 NBA Playoffs | Dwight Howard Brings Down the Shot Clock During the 1st quarter of his team Orlando Magic’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 duel with MVP Lebron James and...
- 2010 NBA Playoffs First Round | Welcome to the Dwight Howard Block Party The Bobcats swarmed Superman in every offensive possession and frustrated him so much that he racked up 5 fouls leaving...
- Shaquille O’Neal’s Retirement Press Conference Video Shaquille O’Neal announced his intention to retire from playing basketball on twitter last June 1, 2011. This day, he made...
Tags: dunk, dwight howard, shaquille o'neal, superman
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Interesting! I watch NBA occasionally. I’m a fan of the Spurs. But since I don’t really follow the league, I don’t know this stuff.
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ark Reply:
February 26th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
@ferna – now you do!
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February 27th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Shaq is the Man of Steel para sa akin… marami na rin xang napatunayan… 1 MVP.. 4 rINGS…
i wonder, pag nasa Orlando pa sya ngayon, makuha nya kaya ang tagumpay nyang ito?
Howard better think of something——> Shaq moves!! hehehe…
[Reply]
ark Reply:
February 28th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
@doy_kabacan – I think gusto nia atang matapos ang career nia sa Orlando eh. Twin towers of Shaq and DH12? Malay mo. Bilog ang bola, hehe..
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March 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
[...] if that card is of one of the Supermen in the NBA today, Dwight Howard. Shaquille O’Neal is the other one. They also happen to be my [...]
March 19th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Wow, ganda naman ng post na to. Splendid research with matching photos and videos, hehe.
I have to agree with you that probably, nobody could still replace shaq’s “superman” tag. Dwight is a good choice for a future “superman”, let’s see.
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March 20th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
@bloggista – I did an extensive research before I made this post. Glad that somebody appreciates it.
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July 31st, 2009 at 10:31 pm
[...] Superman Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic was spectacular all-night long on the defensive end with 21 rebounds and set an NBA Finals record with 9 blocks. However, it was his kryptonite, the free-throw shot that helped doom his team. He missed two crucial ones in the closing seconds before the Derek Fisher three-point dagger. He made just 6 of 14 free-throws for the game. [...]
February 14th, 2010 at 2:37 am
[...] Robinson is back to defend the crown he captured when he jumped over the 6′11″ Dwight “Superman” Howard in last year’s Sprite Slam Dunk [...]
April 21st, 2010 at 5:20 pm
[...] Bobcats swarmed Superman in every offensive possession and frustrated him so much that he racked up 5 fouls leaving him on [...]
April 27th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
[...] Howard is Superman no [...]
June 14th, 2011 at 6:55 am
hi are you the real superman
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