Every hoop fan believes Dwight Howard wants to return to the NBA for one last time. A few months ago he even urged Lakers owner Jenny Buss, “Jeanie, give me one more chance.” It sounded like a bit of a joke, but if you’ve been keeping tabs on D12, you know he’s always had that itch to come back. But it seems things have changed for 3x DPOY, as he doesn’t want it anymore.

So, what happened? Dwight laid it out pretty simply during an appearance on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “So, you know, I’m not trying to go back and play for the Lakers,” Howard said. So what led to this sudden change? “The time is done, man. I’ve still got to live, man. I ain’t trying to walk like Kenny Smith. That’s not me, that’s Kenny Smith,” he further said.

But what does it mean? It all circles back to Kenny Smith’s knee issues, something most fans have noticed over the years, but few know the backstory. In his memoir, Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me, Smith revealed the shocking details of how he broke a growth plate in his knee and dislodged it inside his joint—an injury that changed the course of his career.

Despite the setback, Smith showed incredible resilience. He adjusted his game and fought through the pain, ultimately catching the attention of college scouts and making it to the NBA. But Dwight Howard isn’t about to take any chances with his body at this stage in his career.

He doesn’t want to follow in Smith’s footsteps, as he bluntly stated, “But I don’t want to end up like Kenny Smith or Christopher Reed. That was a joke.”

But is it only about health or is there more to this story?

DH12 has more precious things than the NBA

Dwight Howard opened up about this same topic on the KG Certified podcast last November. The conversation kicked off with Kevin Garnett pointing out how today’s players are landing massive deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. KG then asked D12 if he ever looks back and wants to get back on the court, especially given his skills still seem intact. KG even said the 3x Defensive Player of the Year could definitely still play.

However, Howard wasn’t looking at it the same way. “I could. But, man, to be honest, I remember when me and you talked, you said one other thing after we got into it. You said, ‘you still want to be able to move around and walk for your kids,'” he explained.

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This advice from KG has stuck with Dwight, especially as he thinks about his future. He wants to be in the best shape to play with his son without worrying about his body.

“I don’t wanna be dog on trying to hoop my son, and my knees look like Kenny… No offense, Kenny. I love you, dawg, I got you,” Howard shared, acknowledging the toll the game takes on the body over time.

For Dwight, the focus has shifted to his family. As the proud father of five—Braylon, Dwight Jr., David, Layla, and Jayde—he’s now putting his energy into being there for his kids. “It doesn’t even have to be basketball,” DH12 said. “I just want to be there for them, to help them become something great.”

His priorities have changed and now it’s all about the next generation.