Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard had more career parallels with each other than one would think. Both got drafted by the Orlando Magic, and surprisingly both struggled with free throws. Shaq was full of praise until the 2008 All-Star Game where Howard appeared in a Superman t-shirt while wearing a cape for the  dunk contest. O’Neal accused Howard of trying to steal his persona. And now a Naismith Hall of Famer has claimed he was the original hero.

“Remember guys I had game, it was not like I just did this Supreme Court thing. I had some serious game,” said Spencer Haywood in his Hall of Fame speech in 2015. Thus emphasizing how he still feels the lack of respect from the NBA due to his legal battle. The 75-year-old engaged in a legal battle in the aftermath of his joining the Seattle Supersonics in 1970 against the NBA. On March 1, 1971, the Supreme Court claimed that the rules restricted a player’s right to earn a living. Haywood v. National Basketball Association was decided in the player’s favor, and he was allowed to play for the Seattle Supersonics.

During his time at the Supersonics, he was dubbed the Superman. So Haywood took to Instagram to remind everyone about his legacy. “Long before Dwight Howard and Shaq was Superman. I’m the original in 1972. Hidden NBA history ALL PRAISES TO THE MOST HIGH GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.” While O’Neal did not reply to the story mentioned, Howard did.

Former champion of the Los Angeles Lakers, Howard used emojis to describe his response. “😂😂😂,” also using the Superman song of Tarrus Riley which Haywood had used. “I’m a superman thanks to Lois Lane Kissed away my problems when I went insane Took me from the depths when I lost my name, ooh Give me something I could live for.” It’s not just Haywood who claimed he was the ultimate hero, but his former teammate calls him the “Superman of the Supersonics.”

“It was interesting, when I got there he was on billboards and buses,” said Sonics legend Fred Brown to Seattle times in 2007. “He was Superman of the SuperSonics. I had never seen anything like that. He was the man!” The contribution of Haywood extends way beyond the court of basketball.

Shaq was able to skip college thanks to Haywood

In the 50+ years since the Supreme Court ruling, the same has been amended and revised quite a few times. However, the overall principle that players should no longer have to go to college for four years to be eligible for the NBA continues to stand. Popularly known as the ‘Haywood Rule’, the decision helped to pave the way for the future generations of NBA.

Players now can play for additional years and earn more money in the process. Some of the greatest basketball players, including Shaq, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant, owe the result of Haywood’s case to their early success. O’Neal by the age of 22 was able to play 3 seasons in the NBA. He scored a total point of 6,585 and also earned more than $17 million in his first 3 years. While athletes like Kareem Abdul Jabbar had to wait till they turned 22 to play in the NBA.

At the time he was the youngest player to win the Olympic gold medal at the age of 19. So it is safe to say that Spencer Haywood was the true symbol of people for the players. He paved the way for the players to come and changed the entire way the players play the game.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.”