The BIG3 is heating up again, and this time, LA Riot is the squad everyone’s watching. Reason? Dwight Howard. The former NBA champ is not just showing up; he’s stepping in as Player-Captain for the Riot. After his Hall of Fame nod, Howard called the move a dream, saying, “I can’t wait to join the LA Riot and try to bring another championship to the city of LA.” That energy? Feels like he’s writing a final chapter—and he wants it to be loud.

Now, fast forward a bit, and the Riot just got stacked. Recently, Jeff Teague hopped on board, and that alone made waves. Add in Jordan Crawford, Elijah Stewart, and now Wesley Johnson, and suddenly, this lineup looks scary good. And with Nick Young running the plays from the bench as head coach, the championship talk isn’t just chatter anymore.

But during the Run It Back show, things take a turn. Lou Williams, never one to mince his words, didn’t hold back when asked about the Riot’s potential. He started hyped, saying, “y’all were one of the favorites to be disruptive and make some noise. Oh, you have to be with that roster.” Then came the curveball—“and then you got the coach of the year, Wes, Nick Young. You played with him for two years. We all know Nick. How the hell are you going to take him seriously as your head coach?” Shots fired—straight from a former teammate.

Wesley Johnson, though, took the heat with a smile. He replied honestly, “That’s a fair question. Hey, man, I don’t know. I don’t know, but I feel like he got coach of the year, so I think he did something right. So we’re going to see. We’re going to figure it out when we get out there.” Still, Lou wasn’t done. He doubled down with, “We’ve got to check who voted.”

However, this might be Dwight Howard’s last dance as a pro baller. And if Nick Young can lead this loaded Riot squad to a title? That would be one hell of an ending: where it all started.

Could Dwight Howard’s career come full circle in Orlando?

BIG3’s championship weekend is headed to Orlando for the first time. And it’s not just a random choice. With Dwight Howard suiting up for the LA Riot this season, Ice Cube made it clear this move has deeper meaning. The Magic legend could very well end his playing career where it all began. “I just think that’s pretty poetic,” Cube said, hinting at the emotional weight of such a finale.

Besides, Cube had more than just nostalgia in mind. He explained that this was about the players, too. “We’ve been to other places, from the Bahamas to London, and what we’ve noticed is that teams that make it always want to bring their families to see them play in the championship game. We felt like Orlando is a great place for players to be able to do that,” he shared. And with a $1 million bonus on the line, this summer’s BIG3 isn’t just a vibe—it’s serious business.

Meanwhile, LA Riot coach Nick Young isn’t exactly hiding the confidence. He believes this squad is built to win, especially with Howard anchoring the team. “We’ve been to—we’re always going to go to the big dance,” Swaggy P said. “Everybody’s coming back in shape, we added, you know, one of the most dominant players that play this game… One of the best centers. So, um, yeah, Hall of Famer.”

Still, as always with Nick, the flair never fades. “All the lights are going to be on us, you know. Uh, you got myself, you know. Um, I just look good winning.” If that’s not a movie ending setup for Howard in Orlando, what is?