Dwight Howard Reflects on His Career and Getting Long-Awaited Call to the Basketball Hall of Fame

There are big houses and then theres Dwight Howards 32,000-square-foot manor in North Atlanta.

When you pass through the estates imposing gates, youre greeted by a huge fountain, a massive garage with BMWs, Benzes and a Sprinter van, and a backyard pool worthy of Versailles.Inside the mansion, theres a slew of more spoils21 bathrooms, multiple kitchens and a movie theater.

Theres also a tricked-out den filled with signed jerseys, arcade games and blow-ups of all SLAM covers hes graced over the years.One memento stands out.

Its a framed photo of late NBA commissioner David Stern and Howard shaking hands at the 2004 NBA Draft.

At the bottom of the picture, Stern signed, Dwight, thank you for everything youve done for the NBA.Those words have added meaning these days.

Howard is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

Sit with that statement for a sec.

Roughly 5,000 people have suited up for at least one NBA game.

Considering the countless high school and college players there have been, that number is miniscule.

Of that 5K, less than 200 ballers have gotten the Hall call.The first thing I did was get an email from the Hall of Fame, says Howard, whos wearing a tank, gym shorts, Ugg slippers and a Belgian Malinois named Angel on his lap.

[The email was] telling me that theres a possibility of me getting into the Hall of Fame this year.

So, Im like, OK, THIS IS CRAZY.Howard says that a little while later, while he was in London shooting a reality show, he got the official word.

The show I was filming, we couldnt have our phones, Howard says.

No phones, no communication from the outside world.

[The producers were] like, DWIGHT, WE KNOW [YOURE GETTING] A CALL ON MONDAY, SO WERE GOING TO LET YOU GET IT THIS TIME OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM.

Im sitting there waiting.

And then I see Basketball Hall of Fame come across my phone, and Im like, This is it.

This is the call.

It must have felt like a 500-pound weight being lifted off his sculpted shoulders.People say when you die, your life flashes before your eyes, says Howard.

I feel like everything with basketball started flashing before my eyes [after the call].

I just broke down crying.

I literally couldnt stand up no more.

I thought I could only cry like this if something bad was happening.

But this was the total opposite.

It was so much joy.

I was overwhelmed with tears and emotions.

I was just like, Man, Im really here.The memories started decades ago for Howard.

The 6-10 center powered Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, a private school roughly 45 miles south of his current location, to a 2004 Georgia state championship while earning consensus national player of the year honors.

The kid was relentless on the boards and ravenous with his back to the rim.

UNC and Georgia Tech foamed at the mouth, thinking of him roaming their campuses.

But the whole time, the only thing on Howards mind was getting on stage with Commissioner Stern.The Magic made him the No.

1 overall pick of the 04 Draft.

Like a new Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios, Howard was an instant hit in Orlando, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.

By Year 3, the Magic center was annually making All-Star squads, earning All-NBA honors and giving Defensive Player of the Year speeches.

If you know a big not named Shaq who was more super in the paint than Howard over the last 20 years, please DM us.But for all the accolades that came D12s way in Orlando, NBA champion wasnt one of them.

Howard, right-hand man Jameer Nelson and the rest of the crew couldnt quite work their magic for consistently deep playoff runs.

By the time the 2011-12 season was winding down, rumblings were revving up about Howard wanting out.

His incessant smile was seemingly turning into a scowl.Im 18 years old coming into this League, Howard recalls.

Im like, Man, I just want to have fun and hoop.

This is the best life possible.

I dreamed about this.

I prayed for this.

Now Im here.

I think people kind of took me having a good time and smiling as I didnt take it seriously.

But I trained so hard that by the time I got to the court, I couldnt do nothing but smile.When things soured in Orlando before the 2012-13 campaign, Howard found himself in Southern California, traded to the Lakers on the final year of his contract.

Make noise in the middle and play nice with Kobe and, who knows, a hefty four-year extension could be waiting on the other side.Howard averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 boards that season, but saying things never quite clicked in L.A.

feels a bit restrained.

Bickering between the big man and Bryant was a constant headline.

An early playoff exit didnt help.

Howard wanted out again.Signing a four-year, $88 million contract with the Houston Rockets in 2013 felt right for Dwight.

He was getting the fresh start he wanted.

While the first season in Texas saw Howard put up his usual All-Star numbers, the next two years were only OK individually (combined averages of 14.5 points and 11.3 boards those years), and the team was underwhelming overall (one conference final, two early postseason exits).

Howard opted out of the fourth year of the deal.Though an avid traveler, Howards subsequent stints in Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, Philly and L.A.

twice (including a solid role with the 2020 champion Lakers), along with international stops in places like Taiwan, the Philippines and Dubai, seemed like a lot to keep up with.

NBA 75th Anniversary Team voters didnt even try.

They simply left the eight-time All-Star off the final roster when the team was announced in 2021.

It was disrespect, like a slap in the face, Howard recalls.While playing overseas, Howard regularly put up 20 and 15.

But you never heard about any of that.

How could you? For the past few post-NBA years, the only headlines you probably read were Shade Room-worthy ones about Howards personal life.

The three-time Defensive Player of Years tried to reject as much of the online negativity as possible, but hed even admit that it got challenging.I was truly dedicated to this sport, Howard says, even though so many people tried to tarnish it and just try to destroy my testimony.

I think thats something that has happened since I came into the League, people trying to destroy the testimony and destroying greatness with lies and fabrications and words and things that dont even matter to basketball.Thats not to say that Howard isnt actively trying to enhance his image.

On the contrary, if youve noticed more reality show appearances and guest NBA analyst stints lately, thats no coincidence.

A budding actor and podcaster, the man relishes the camera.Almost as much as he enjoys playing basketball.

Howard, now 39, signed on with Ice Cubes BIG3 for the 2025 season.

In his debut with the L.A.

Riot, Howard and Miami 305s Lance Stephenson got into an on-court altercation that spilled into the front row.

While not the positive showing he may have wanted, the scuffle at least revealed the competitive fire thats been in Howard since grade school.My day is over with, says Howard, jovially thinking about how hed play against the likes of Myles Turner and Chet Holmgren.

I loved my days.

I had some good times out there.

But these younguns, theyre doing some great things out there.

Obviously, the center position and power forward position seem a lot different than back when I played.

But so is the whole game.

Everything has changed.Dwights one of the few players to ever suit up in the BIG3 and be inducted into the Hall.

Hes also the only former player to get into Springfield having suited up for seven NBA teams.

Like it or loathe it, nearly everything Dwight Howards accomplished over his career has been historic.David Stern knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote what he did on that picture from draft night 21 years ago.

The mans contributions to the game should be applauded.Howard grins.I just want people to always remember that no matter how polarizing things can get on the court with meI know Ive been one of the most polarizing players in the history of the gameI want them to know that everything on my end was always love.Sounds like the making of a great Hall of Fame enshrinement speech to us.Photos via Getty Images.The post Dwight Howard Reflects on His Career and Getting Long-Awaited Call to the Basketball Hall of Fame appeared first on SLAM..

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