Dwight Howard achieved what is arguably the most prized individual honor in basketball earlier today when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. For the former No. 1 pick, it was a fairytale moment, one that allowed him to finally let go of past bitterness.
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Howard’s induction was well deserved. At his prime, he was one of the most dominant big men in the NBA, a double-double machine who won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. He averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds per game throughout his career and also led the Orlando Magic, the team that drafted him, to the 2009 Finals.
That’s why it was surprising in 2021, during the league’s 75th anniversary season, when Howard missed out on the Top 75 players of all time list. It wasn’t just shocking for fans, but for Howard himself. At the time, he made a big deal about it and claimed he was left off because of “politics”. For years, this snub stung Howard a lot.
“The 75, you know, it hurt. It was a big slap in the face to not be on that team,” Howard admitted earlier today. But now in the Hall of Fame, it’s hard for the big man to be too upset.
Howard was also a member of Team USA’s 2008 Redeem Team. Thanks to the gold medal he helped secure, he entered the Hall of Fame not only as an NBA player but also as an Olympic athlete. The Redeem Team was inducted on the same day, and Howard saw the double honor as a sign of a greater power making up for his omission from the Top 75 list.
“To go in the Hall of Fame, not only for what I did and the contributions for myself, but to help the USA win a gold medal and to go in twice in the same year. Man, it’s like God said, ‘You know what? I’mma double pound you with a blessing. For being persistent and consistent,’” Howard shared.
Dwight Howard on not being part of the 75th anniversary team
“It was a big slap in the face… but to go in the hall of fame twice in the same year, man it’s like God said I’m gonna double pound you with a blessing”
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/KItszrJNPq
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 6, 2025
In the end, the achievements spoke for themselves, and missing out on the anniversary team did not end up mattering much for the former Los Angeles Laker. Despite being viewed as controversial by some, it is undeniable that Howard transcended his stats. He left a cultural impact on the game that deserves to be remembered, headlined by elite paint protection and vicious slams. Now he has been rewarded with an orange jacket and a commemorative ring to forever mark how great he was.
