Is Dwight Howard Retired From the NBA? Ex-Lakers Star’s Latest Basketball Stint Revealed

For nearly two decades, Dwight Howard was one of the most physically dominant big men the NBA has seen. Whether through swatting shots into the third row, pulling down boards with brute strength, or dunking with his trademark grin, Howard made sure he leaves a lasting impression on the fans. But in 2025, with the league moving faster than ever, one question lingers for fans: Is Dwight Howard actually done with the NBA?

After all, he never truly gave us a farewell tour. No final game, or jersey swap. Just a slow fade into overseas leagues and a handful of podcast appearances. But as it turns out, Dwight hasn’t exactly closed the door, at least not right away.

“I have not officially retired yet, but I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” Howard said in February on Podcast P with Paul George. “I thought I was going to get back in the league, but Paul said he didn’t want nobody over 35 playing center… I asked LeBron. He said he wanted Bronny and he said he’s trying to get Bryce…”That was just months ago. At the time, Howard, then 39, was still actively pitching himself to NBA stars and teams. He even hinted that he’d reached out to the Lakers again, hoping to fill a need at backup center.

Howard last played in the NBA during the 2021–22 season with the Lakers, averaging 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 60 games. After that, he went overseas toTaiwan to play for the Taoyuan Leopards, embracing a new chapter while still chasing the game. By early 2024, the tone started shifting. Speaking with Gilbert Arenas on the Gil’s Arena podcast, Howard opened up in a way that felt different. “I love the game, I’ve always loved it. I’ve put in so much work, so much time. Now I want to give that time to the kids. I done sacrificed so much time away, so I can train and do all that stuff. The kids are getting older…”

It wasn’t an official retirement but Howard acknowledged the toll of a career that demanded constant movement, training, and sacrifice. He sounded done not with basketball entirely, but with the league that shaped him. By April 2025, the writing was on the wall. Though he didn’t rejoin the NBA, Howard made a stateside return, suiting up for the Los Angeles Riot in Ice Cube’s BIG3 league, under coach Nick Young. It would be his “final season of pro basketball,” as reported by Chris Haynes.

So technically, Dwight Howard is retired from the NBA. But not on anyone else’s terms. He never wanted to be pushed out. “I just wanted to play as long as I could play, and retire when I feel like retiring, not when somebody else tells me I should or stuff like that,” Howard said.

Dwight Howard’s Hall of Fame nod caps a complex legacy

As of September 2025, Howard is officially a Hall of Famer. First ballot. No questions asked. The numbers told the story long before the plaque was etched. “So, why not me?” he asked. He doesn’t have to ask that question anymore. Howard is one of only 13 players in NBA history to average at least 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds over a career. He’s 10th all-time in total rebounds. 13th in blocks. He won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards, made eight All-Star teams, was named All-NBA eight times, and led the league in rebounds five times.

From 2007 to 2011, Howard was one of the most dominant forces in the league, on both ends. He led the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals, dunked his way through All-Star Weekend with a Superman cape, and racked up accolades in an era when traditional centers were becoming obsolete. And was twice inducted this weekend, both as an individual and as a member of the 2008 U.S. “Redeem Team.”

“It’s happening. It’s me being in the Hall of Fame, being inducted in the Hall of Fame as player and then being inducted into the Hall of Fame as an Olympian,” Howard said. “It’s just like a double whammy, but in a good way.” Even so, Howard hasn’t forgotten past slights. The biggest? Being left off the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

“I was wondering if I was ever going to get into the Hall of Fame after the Top 75 thing,” Howard said. “Because it just seemed like, as far as my basketball play, I haven’t really received that much respect from my years in the league…” His longtime coach Stan Van Gundy agreed. “It was absolutely ridiculous that he didn’t make Top 75.” That exclusion may still sting, but the Hall didn’t make him wait. It validated everything.

From No. 1 pick to All-NBA anchor to journeyman to champion, Dwight Howard’s career was full of highs and lows. He transformed the Orlando Magic into contenders, helped reshape modern defensive schemes, and left a bigger mark than critics ever cared to admit. He retires not with a hashtag or press conference, but with a Hall of Fame induction and a final season in the Big3, a league that lets him still be Superman, even if only for a summer.