Steve Nash Says Dwight Howard “Never Wanted To Be a Laker” & Shaq Wants Him In “F—k Shaq” Mode

The Dwight Howard exodus from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood has sent shockwaves around the league because no one leaves the Lakers. But now Dwight’s former teammate, Steve Nash, and Big Man doppelgänger, Shaquille O’Neal, have sounded off, and in the latter star’s case, it’s just part of his Dwight project.

Last night, Steve Nash made an appearance on the “The Mason & Ireland Show” on ESPN 710 LA. During the interview, Nash opened up about the push to have Dwight return to the Lakers. In the end, last season’s “disaster” led Nash to believe that Dwight never wanted to be a Laker in the first place.

Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com posted most of what Nash said about Dwight after the show last night:

Ultimately, I think Dwight wasn’t comfortable here and didn’t want to be here and I think if he didn’t want to be here, there’s no point for anyone in him being here. So, we wish him the best and move on.

Nash continued while mentioning the Tuesday night meeting he participated in with Kobe Bryant, Mike D’Antoni, and other Lakers brass in an attempt to sooth Dwight’s anxiety about last season in the hopes that he’d return by accepting their max deal contract.

Frankly, I thought before the meeting, we didn’t really have a chance and I’d like to think that after the meeting we had a chance.
[…]
Dwight had some issues with the season. I think it kind of basically goes with what he said to the media that he never quite felt embraced in L.A. He never quite felt supported. That’s basically it. I think in some ways you can read into that what you will, but I think he never quite felt comfortable at home and I don’t know if that’s anybody’s fault.

When the question of Dwight came up while we were talking to Shaq at Rucker Park for a special celebration about the re-release of his iconic Reebok Shaqnosis, Shaq didn’t hold back, either.

When asked if Dwight would become the next great superstar while in Houston, here’s how Shaq responded:

Shaq: I don’t know. Maybe. I knew that [the expectations] when I went there (to LA). First, it depends on what your attitude is like. I knew it was Kareem [Abdul Jabbar] and Wilt [Chamberlain]. Wilt got two and Kareem had six, so I had to get in-between somehow. I actually made a comment they gave me heat about. The only way to get the proper respect in Laker-land, you going to have to get three [titles]. [Andrew] Bynum has two and [Pau] Gasol has two, so are you telling me those guys are in the same category? They’re not in the same category, so for him to be up there with those names, he’ll have to get two or three.

I got a lot of heat the other day about not everyone being able to handle the bright lights, especially when you ask for it. For example, a lot of people compete where they’re from and say, ‘oh I could play at Rucker Park.’ Then when they come up here and get crossed and get embarrassed, they go back home. You asked to come up here and play and you didn’t produce, so—.

When I say “not everybody likes those bright lights,” I mean, not everyone can handle it.

Dime: When you came to LA, did you talk to Kareem or Jerry or any of those guys?
Shaq: No. Kareem and Wilt never talked to me.

Dime: Did they talk to you after the first title?
Shaq: No, never. They never said anything. I took it as a “O.K., you don’t know my name, yet,” and I fed off that. And that’s actually what I’m trying to do with Dwight. I’m actually trying to get Dwight into the “F- -k Shaq” mode that got me to step my game up. That’s what I did. I was averaging 30 points and they never said anything to me. And I was like “O.K.” And after I won the first one [NBA title], they still never said nothing to me. Dwight needs to learn how to use criticism as an education. I’m not bashing him, I’m just trying to protect him. Because if he does what I said he should do, nobody can say nothing. That’s what I always say on TNT, you average 20 and 10. If you average 20 and 10 nobody can say nothing.

Dime: You talk to those guys [Kareem, Russell] now?
Shaq: No, never. But I got more championships than Wilt and two behind Kareem. And I got my jersey retired [with the Lakers], so I must have done right.

Do you think Shaq is being fair to Dwight, and what do you make of Nash’s comments about the meeting wth Dwight before he decided to leave?

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