Dwight Howard Gets 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Nod

Dwight Howard will be part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2025, it was announced Friday. 

Howard, the top pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic out of Atlanta’s Southwest Christian Academy, quickly made a name for himself and established himself as one of the best centers in the NBA. In due time, he would become the best. 

Dominating defensively as an intimidating shot blocker and leaper, Howard was an outstanding lob threat on offense who could muscle inside. 

Howard averaged a double-double for the first 14 seasons of his career, and led the NBA in rebounding in 2007-08 (14.2), 2008-09 (13.8), 2009-10 (13.2), 2011-12 (14.5) and 2012-13 (12.4). In 2008-09 and 2009-10, he also led the NBA in blocks with 2.9 and 2.8. 

In 2008-09, Howard (20.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 2.9 blocks) finished fourth in Most Valuable Player voting (he finished fourth again the following season) and led the Magic to 59 wins at the NBA Finals where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. On the way there, the Magic were impressive in defeating the Boston Celtics 4-3 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2 in the Conference Finals. 

In his lone Finals’ appearance, Howard registered game highs in rebounding in Games 1 through 4 (14, 16, 14, 21) and averaged 15.4 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks. 

Howard joined the Los Angeles Lakers for 2012-13, but despite leading the league in rebounding once again (12.4 rebounds with 17.1 points) he would be hampered by back issues. After one season in Los Angeles, he signed with the Houston Rockets, where he made his final all-star appearance in 2013-14 (18.3 points, 12.2 rebounds). The following season, he averaged 15.8 points and 10.5 rebounds, an integral centerpiece to a Rocket team that came back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals. Howard tallied 21 rebounds in Game 6 and averaged 17.6 points and 13.9 rebounds for the series. 

Howard played the next three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and played nine games with the Washington Wizards in 2018-19 before a career resurrection of sorts in 2019-20, as a vital piece to the Laker championship team, playing a major role in defending Denver Nugget star Nikola Jokic in the playoffs. Howard played 69 games with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2020-21 before finishing his career back with the Lakers in 2021-22, starting 27 games. 

For the first four seasons of his career, Howard played all 82 games, as he did in 2009-10. From 2008-11, he won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and from 2007 through to 2012 was 1st team All-NBA each season. As a member of the Hornets, on March 21, 2018 against the Brooklyn Nets, Howard recorded the NBA’s last 30-30 game to date, with 32 points and 30 rebounds. 

Entering the NBA at 19 years of age, Howard made an immediate impact that carried him through for 18 seasons. For his career, he averaged 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds with 1.8 blocks, but in his best seasons with the Magic he was an unstoppable force averaging 18.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks, providing the best seasons of a career that saw him make eight consecutive all-star appearances (2006-14), 8 All-NBA teams (five 1st team selections) and 4 Defensive 1st team selections. On four occasions, he averaged at least 20 points and 13 rebounds per game. He also won the 2008 Slam Dunk Contest and was also a Gold Medalist that summer as part of the Redeem Team.

At his best, Howard was the definitive best center in the game and had a legitimate argument for the game’s best player. 

Congratulations on the class of 2025, Dwight Howard.