Howard … Also in 2018, The Ringer published a piece entitled "Everybody (Still) Hates Dwight" in which it described Howard as "almost certainly the least popular player in the NBA". 1 overall pick in round 1 of the. [150][151] Howard was not charged in connection with the allegations. [82] On December 26, he eclipsed 15,000 points for his career in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. [119] In the finals, he made all seven of his shots and scored 20 points as the USA defeated Argentina to win the gold medal. / Links. [112], During the season, the Lakers split time fairly evenly between him and starting center JaVale McGee. [148][149] Howard had admitted to hitting Braylon with a belt; he had been disciplined in the same manner while growing up, and he stated that he did not realize it was wrong to do so. Howard joined the Lakers in 2012 as part of a four-team trade. [1] Overall, he averaged 15.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game,[9] ranking second in the NBA in rebounds per game, offensive rebounds, and double-doubles and sixth in field goal percentage. Howard won the Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second straight year. [1][4] He took the number 12 for his jersey, in part because it was the reverse of Garnett's 21 when he played for Minnesota. Team: Philadelphia 76ers. [160] In November 2009, the center was named one of the 10 finalists for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, which awards athletes for their charitable work. [127], Howard's abilities and powerful physique have drawn attention from fellow NBA All-Stars. [138][139] After Charlotte traded Howard to the Washington Wizards, Charlotte player Brendan Haywood asserted that Howard's teammates were "sick and tired of his act". The Lakers lost a number of key players via free agency: Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley, and JaVale McGee, to name a few. [4] The same year, he was widely recognized as the best American high school basketball player, and received the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, the Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year Award, Gatorade National Player of the Year and the McDonald's National High School Player of the Year honor. Drafted number 1 overall in 2004, Dwight Howard was the league’s best big man for more than half of a decade. [146] A Florida judge ruled that she violated a court order prohibiting her from mentioning Howard in the media. Howard had a playoff career-high 40 points to go with his 14 rebounds in the deciding Game 6, leading Orlando to the NBA Finals for the first time in 14 years. [83] On January 18, 2016, in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Howard had 36 points and tied a career high with 26 rebounds en route to his 10th straight double-double, the league's longest active streak at the time, and his longest since a 14-game run in 2012–13. [89] In his debut for the Hawks in their season opener on October 27, Howard grabbed 19 rebounds in a 114–99 win over the Washington Wizards. [54], Howard was upset that he was not getting the ball enough, and he felt that Kobe Bryant was shooting too much. Player Profile: Full Name: Dwight David Howard. Fernando Medina/NBAE/Getty Images Howard made 21 of the 39 attempts, finishing with 45 points and 23 rebounds in the Magic's 117–109 victory. On November 21, 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers signed Howard to a one-year deal. $49.99. On October 11, 2020, the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, winning the series four games to two, and giving Howard his first NBA championship. He played through a back injury and had a good season statistically (17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds, which led the league). Doc Rivers raves about Dwight Howard and says the Los Angeles Lakers don’t reach the NBA Finals without him. [6] For his efforts, he was selected to play in the 2005 NBA Rookie Challenge, and was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie Team. "[61], During the All-Star break, Howard adopted a healthier diet to get into better shape to anchor the Lakers' defense and run head coach Mike D'Antoni's preferred pick and rolls. [4] Orlando coach Brian Hill—responsible for grooming former Magic superstar Shaquille O'Neal—decided that Howard should be converted into a full-fledged center. At the midpoint of the season, the Lakers were a disappointing 17–24. Howard returned to the Lakers in 2019 and won his first NBA championship in 2020. [73] During the 2014 playoffs, Howard averaged 26 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, but the Rockets were eliminated by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, losing the series 4–2. The Lakers have now won 12 road games in a row. He became the youngest player in NBA history to average a double double in the regular season. [103] He appeared in nine games in November before missing the rest of the season after undergoing spinal surgery to relieve pain in his glutes. [163], Dominance and NBA Finals appearance (2008–2011), Return to the Los Angeles Lakers (2019–2020), The previous Lakers records were held by Bryant, who made 23 twice—most recently in 2006 against New York—while. It was the most rebounds for anyone in their Atlanta debut, breaking the mark of 18 that Shareef Abdur-Rahim set on October 30, 2001. [144] In 2010, Howard won a defamation judgment against Royce Reed,[145] the mother of his oldest child Braylon. Squad Past Argentina to Claim Gold, USA Basketball Announces 12-Member 2008 Men’s Senior National Team, US hoops back on top, beats Spain for gold medal, Just a 42 for 12'6" sticker slap? Thorpe, David, "Scouting Report: What makes Dwight Howard so dominant? Howard was born in Atlanta, to Dwight Sr. and Sheryl Howard, a family with strong athletic connections. Comparison between Dwight Howard and other NBA stars, Related Links (external): [91] On February 2, he had a season-best game with 24 points and 23 rebounds in a 113–108 win over the Rockets in Houston. [123], Standing at 6 feet 10 inches tall (2.08 m) and weighing 265 pounds (120 kg), Howard plays the center position. [15] There, the Magic were swept by the Detroit Pistons in the first round. [117], Howard was named on March 5, 2006 to the 2006–2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program. Howard took six months off from basketball after his April back surgery, and only had the combined four weeks of training camp and preseason to prepare for the season. He exerted extra pressure on Howard, saying that the Magic would need him to emerge as a force in the middle before the team had a chance at the playoffs. He also had... 21 PTS (season-high) 15 REB (season-high) 9-11 FG in 24 MINSpic.twitter.com/Ztk9cucyAj", "Rejuvenated Dwight Howard a 'beast' on the boards in Lakers' Game 4 win", "Dwight Howard reverses rebound trend as Lakers move one win from the finals", USA Routs Puerto Rico, Advances to FIBA Finals, James Leads U.S. [90] On November 2, he scored a season-high 31 points in a 123–116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. [3] Together with his parents, Howard established the Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc. in 2004. Position: Center. Coach Mike D'Antoni attributed Howard's difficulty running the pick-and-roll—a play the coach had expected would be a staple for the team—with Steve Nash to Howard's lack of conditioning. [86][87] With the retirement of Tim Duncan, Howard entered the 2016–17 season as the NBA's active leader in rebounds (12,089)[88] and blocked shots (1,916). Dwight David Howard II (born December 8, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He had started twice during the regular season, but this was his first start by coach's decision when McGee was available.[116]. [140] In 2018, NBC News reported that "Howard’s time with the Magic, Lakers and Rockets devolved into interpersonal strife well before he left those teams". [43] On January 24, 2012, Howard became the Magic's all-time scoring leader. Apparently, Howard still wants to wear his familiar No. [66] With Howard anchoring the Lakers defense and his improved overall play,[67] the Lakers made the playoffs, but were swept in the opening round by San Antonio. Howard was ejected in Game 4 with over nine minutes left in the third quarter. [109], On August 26, 2019, Howard signed a $2.6 million veteran's minimum contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, reuniting him with his former team. Howard was averaging 17.1 points on 58.2% shooting, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks, but also 3.6 fouls a game with 3.2 turnovers while making only 50.4% of his free throws. He chose to forgo college, entered the 2004 NBA draft, and was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic. “What I love about this win is we can win in a variety of different ways,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. [52][53] Still working himself into shape, Howard paced himself throughout the season on both offense and defense. In 2009, he led the team to the NBA Finals. [1] On February 9, he made a game-winning alley-oop off an inbound pass at the buzzer against the San Antonio Spurs. [38] He had a playoff career-high 46 points and 19 rebounds in Orlando's 103–93 loss to Atlanta in Game 1. On January 21, 2010, Howard was named as the starting center for the East in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. [72] Howard finished the regular season with averages of 18.3 points and 12.2 rebounds and earned All-NBA Second Team honors. [4] Hill identified two areas where Howard needed to improve: his post-up game and his defense. [107], On July 6, 2019, Howard was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for forward C. J. ", https://www.si.com/nba/2019/08/26/lakers-bring-back-dwight-howard, "What Happened to Superman? Dwight Howard has officially cleared waivers after being let go by the Memphis Grizzlies, and is in the process of signing his contract with the Los … He finished his rookie season with an average of 12 points and 10 rebounds,[9] setting several NBA records in the process. [30] In the NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers took the first two home games, before a home win by the Magic brought the deficit to 2–1. [84] On June 22, 2016, Howard declined his $23 million player option for the 2016–17 season and became an unrestricted free agent. [48], On April 19, 2012, Howard's agent said that Howard would undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back and would miss the rest of the 2011–12 season, as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. [36], In the 2010–11 season, Howard posted career highs in points and field goal percentage. "[128] Subsequent to a game in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, Philadelphia 76ers swingman Andre Iguodala said: "It's like he can guard two guys at once. Knocks down his 3RD THREE of the season. Howard, who plays center, spent his high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. If he gets any more athletic or jumps any higher, they're going to have to change the rules. [58][59] In February, Bryant said that Howard "worries too much" and "doesn't want to let anyone down", urging him to play through the pain when Pau Gasol was sidelined with a torn plantar fascia. Howard was named as a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Howard played 24 minutes off the bench and finished with 18 points (8-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 12 rebounds, two blocks and one steal Thursday in … Howard entered the game making 42 percent of his free throws for the season and just below 60 percent for his career. [1] As the team's regular starting center, he helped lead the team to a 5–0 record during its pre-World Championship tour, and subsequently helped the team win the bronze medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. [6] He also became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 10 rebounds in a season and youngest NBA player ever to record at least 20 rebounds in a game. [4] On November 15, 2005, in a home game against the Charlotte Bobcats, Howard recorded 21 points and 20 rebounds, becoming the youngest player ever to score 20 or more points and gather 20 or more rebounds in the same game. Ten games into the season, the center was leading the league in blocks per game (4.2). That's his opinion. During the interview, the center walked up and hugged his coach, unaware that Van Gundy had confirmed a report that Howard denied. Not long after the lockout ended, Howard, who was eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season, demanded a trade to the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers or Dallas Mavericks. Every statistic, every season, every title, … I wasn't that gifted, as far as body and physical presence. [53] On January 4, 2013, Howard injured his right shoulder in the second half of the Lakers' 107–102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. [12], In the 2006–07 season (and for the third consecutive season), Howard played in all 82 regular-season games. [1] Howard's mother had seven miscarriages before he was born. The Magic's playoff run resulted another Eastern Conference Finals appearance, where they lost in six games to the Celtics. [22] In the second round against the Pistons, the Magic lost in five games. Sources: Dwight Howard has cleared waivers and is signing his new Los Angeles Lakers contract now. Howard ... Adrian Wojnarowski joins SportsCenter to break the news that Dwight Howard will return to the Los Angeles Lakers after signing a non-guaranteed deal. [44], On March 15, 2012, on the day of the trading deadline for the 2011–12 NBA season, Howard waived his right to opt out of his contract at the end of the season and committed to stay with the Magic through the 2012–13 season. On July 13, 2013, Howard signed with the Houston Rockets, joining James Harden to form a formidable duo. Howard joined a depleted Magic squad that had finished with only 21 victories the previous season; further, the club had just lost … Howard led the NBA in rebounding from 2007 to 2010, and again from 2012 to 2013. After playing in the Rockets' first 10 out of 11 games to start the 2014–15 season, Howard missed 11 straight due to a strained right knee[74] before returning to action on December 13 against the Denver Nuggets and recording his 10,000th career rebound. [11] He was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the 2006 Rookie Challenge during the All-Star break. [10], Howard reported to camp for his second NBA season having added 20 pounds of muscle during the off-season. 2021-03-10T19:12:36Z Haynes isn’t the first insider to report that the Lakers are looking to add a big. [97] Howard finished the season with a franchise-record 53 double-doubles and joined Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to hold single-season records with two teams. “We have great versatility. [19] In their first round match-up against the Toronto Raptors, Howard's dominance (three 20-point/20-rebound games) helped Orlando to prevail in five games. [121] With Howard starting as center, Team USA won all of its games en route to the gold medal, breaking their drought of gold medals dating back to the 2000 Olympics. Howard led the league in double-doubles and also averaged 14.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and a career-high 1.3 steals this season. [4] Howard, however, made an immediate impact. ", Bleacher Report asserted that Howard had "extinguished all bridges with the franchise where he spent his first eight NBA seasons". [a] Howard made 16-of-20 free throws when he was fouled intentionally by the Magic. [27] Howard led Orlando to its second straight Southeast Division title[28] and to the third seed for the 2009 NBA Playoffs; the team finished the season with a 59–23 record. He is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team member, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Grange, Michael, "O'Neal prepares for tall challenge". [79] The Rockets clinched their first division title in over 20 years[80] and made it to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost 4–1 to the Golden State Warriors. Bigs get no respect, "Howard's sticker slam wins buzz but not contest", https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/report-hornets-locker-room-hated-dwight-howard/ar-AAyVpex, "Bringing in Dwight Howard one of many moves that have stripped Hawks' identity", "Dwight Howard Wants to Change Perception Around Him During Time with Wizards", https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1554918-is-dwight-howard-the-nbas-worst-teammate, https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/7/25/17613910/dwight-howard-hate-wizards-magic-lakers-rockets-hawks-hornets, https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/some-hawks-players-reportedly-cheered-when-learning-dwight-howard-was-traded/, https://deadspin.com/sounds-like-the-hawks-despised-dwight-howard-1818862453, https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/06/20/brendan-haywood-former-hornets-teammates-sick-and-tired-of-dwight-howards-act/, "As Dwight Howard joins Lakers looking to repair reputation, should we believe this latest fresh start will be any different? [37] Howard led the NBA in technical fouls with 18 in the regular season, and received one-game suspensions after his 16th and 18th technicals. [1] During the FIBA Americas Championship 2007, Howard was on the team which won its first nine games en route to qualifying for the finals and a spot for the 2008 Olympics. [34], In the 2009–10 season, the Magic got off to a strong start, winning 17 of their first 21 games and setting a franchise record. He started the game but was held under 17 minutes by coach Kevin McHale and finished with just four points and seven rebounds in a 95–93 win. [141] Before signing with the Lakers in 2019, Howard reportedly met with the team multiple times, "promising not to live up to his reputation as a difficult teammate who disrupts locker rooms";[142] the team warned him that he would be released if he became a disruptive presence. [25] In December, Howard injured his left knee, which caused him to miss a game due to injury for the first time in his NBA career; previously, he had played in 351 consecutive games. In Howard's first return to Orlando on March 12, he scored a season-high 39 points and had 16 rebounds in a 106–97 Lakers win. The Lakers were 8–2 since the All-Star break, and Howard had 10 straight games with 12 or more rebounds while averaging 15.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. [129] Early in his career, many sports pundits rated Howard as one of the top young prospects in the NBA. [158], Before he was drafted in 2004, Howard said that he wanted to use his NBA career and Christian faith to "raise the name of God within the league and throughout the world". [94] In the fifth game of the season, he had another 15-rebound game. [124][125] He demonstrated this skill in the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest, where he completed an alley oop dunk from teammate Jameer Nelson while slapping a sticker onto the backboard at 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) high. That would be Dwight Howard… An in-depth look at the past and present of the Lakers, the 16-time NBA champions. [2] A devout Christian since his youth, Howard became serious about basketball around the age of nine. [126] The sticker showed an image of his own smiling face with a handwritten "All things through Christ Phil: 4:13", a paraphrase of Philippians 4:13. [76][77] After setbacks forced him out for a further month and a total of 26 games, Howard returned to action on March 25 against the New Orleans Pelicans. NWT Adidas Swingman NBA Jersey L.A. Lakers #12 Dwight Howard Yellow XL +2". Dwight Howard has worn the number 12 at every stop of his career other than with the Atlanta Hawks where he wore No. [29] In the first round of the playoffs against the 76ers, Howard recorded 24 points and 24 rebounds in Game 5 to give Orlando a 3–2 lead before the Magic closed out the series in six games. Dwight Howard Pictures [110][111] He was replacing DeMarcus Cousins, a free agent signed earlier in the offseason who was lost for the year after suffering a knee injury. [9] On February 1, 2007, he received his first NBA All-Star selection as a reserve on the Eastern Conference squad for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. [49] During the offseason, Howard again requested a trade to the Nets, who had relocated to Brooklyn. They went on to lose to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of 2011 NBA Playoffs. [46][47] Van Gundy was let go after the season. Following his high school successes, Howard chose to forego college and declared for the 2004 NBA draft—a decision partly inspired by his idol Kevin Garnett who had done the same in 1995—where the Orlando Magic selected him first overall over UConn junior Emeka Okafor. [13] Howard set a new career high with 35 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 14. 8. [149][151], Howard keeps approximately 20 snakes as pets and has appeared twice[153][154] in Animal Planet's reality TV series Tanked. [106] On April 18, 2019, Howard exercised his $5.6 million player option to play a second season with the Wizards. [101][102] He missed all of training camp, every exhibition game and the first seven regular-season games with a sore backside. [32] For the season, Howard became the youngest player ever to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. Defensive Player of the Year - 3 times 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, Rebounds Leader - 5 times 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, All-NBA First Team - 5 times 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, All-NBA Third Team - Twice 2006-07, 2012-13, All-Defensive First Team - 4 times 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, All-Defensive Second Team - Once 2007-08, Rebounds Leader All-NBA First Team All-Defensive Second Team, Defensive Player of the Year Rebounds Leader Blocks Leader All-NBA First Team All-Defensive First Team, Defensive Player of the Year All-NBA First Team All-Defensive First Team, Rebounds Leader All-NBA First Team All-Defensive First Team, Links: ", Gatorade High School Basketball Player of the Year Award, Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year Award, McDonald's All-American Game – Boys' MVPs, 2006 FIBA World Championship – Bronze medal, 2007 FIBA Americas Championship – Gold medal, USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team, List of career achievements by Dwight Howard, List of National Basketball Association career games played leaders, List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most rebounds in a game, List of National Basketball Association franchise career scoring leaders, "adidas Superstar Camp Asia: Dwight Howard Interview", "Wilkins Honored as One of 35 Greatest McDonald's All Americans", Howard becomes youngest to win Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard Info Page – Career Stats and Totals, Magic Top Heat, Draw Pistons in First Round, Phoenix Duo Highlights All-NBA First Team, "Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: February 13", MVP Kobe Bryant Highlights All-NBA First Team, Kobe, Garnett Headline All-Defensive Team, "Without Howard, Magic beat Jazz in Utah", Howard tops balloting for 2009 NBA All-Star Game, "Magic Switch: Orlando bounces Boston from 2nd", Lakers and Magic tied at 87 at end of regulation in Game 4, Howard, Bryant headline 2008–09 NBA All-Defensive First Team, James a unanimous pick for All-NBA First Team, Howard wins Kia Defensive Player of Year honors again, Joe Johnson scores 23 points as Hawks eliminate Magic, "Dwight Howard's technical foul in Game 1 of playoffs will stand as called", "NBA Rumors: Dwight Howard "By Far" Wants to Stay with Orlando Magic; Shane Battier on Magic's Radar", Dwight Howard breaks FT attempts mark as Magic top Warriors, Dwight Howard becomes Magic's all-time leading scorer in win, "Howard waives opt-out, agrees to stay in Orlando", "Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy says Dwight Howard wants him fired.