Dwight Howard Calls Game | The Highlights of NBA’s “Superman”
“Superman” Dwight Howard has officially announced his retirement. Let’s relive some of his greatest moments in the paint
At the end of Howard’s 20 years in professional basketball, the center was perhaps known for his cheerful and humorous personality both on and off the court. In his 8 years with Orlando Magic, he not only became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer but also picked up Defensive Player of the Year three consecutive times despite injury woes.
At the 2008 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest Dwight Howard debuted his now-iconic “Superman” cape, an early indicator of the dominating presence he would impose on NBA courts in the years to follow.
After leading the Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009, Dwight Howard joined the Lakers, joining the ranks of basketball greats Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash – forming a highly-anticipated “Big Four”. Sadly, the star-studded lineup failed to live up to expectations, citing injuries and integration issues as reasons for their lacklustre performances.
Coming under fire for the quartet’s shortcomings, Howard left Los Angeles and took his talents to the Houston Rockets. Forming a formidable duo with James Harden, before moving to the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards in subsequent seasons where he struggled to emulate his breakout performances.
Howard became the eighth player in the history of the NBA to register a 30-30 game in 2017 at the Hornets. He also received a one-game suspension without pay the following day, for accumulating too many technical fouls.
Howard would ultimately return to the Lakers with a completely different playstyle and mindset. Willing to take on whatever role the team required on the court, his self-sacrifice would not be in vain, as his efforts saw the Lakers clinch the NBA championship – showing the world and his critics that they were wrong all along.
Howard’s career in photos
Orlando Magic’s 2004 first overall pick
Youngest player ever to reach 5,000 rebounds
The Magic’s all-time leading scorer
Slam Dunk Contest Champion 2008
Gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics
Back-to-back-to-back NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Leading the Magic to the NBA Finals in ’09
2020 NBA Champion
Images courtesy of Getty
