September has been life-altering for Dwight Howard. He was finally enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and reconciled with his wife, Amy Luciani. But this emotional journey began in April. That month he got the news that he was elected to the 2025 Hall of Fame class with Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Micky Arison, and the 2008 ‘Redeem Team.’ Very quickly, he was on X.com burying a beef by asking Shaq to be one of his presenters. But only after the emotional day did we see his real reaction to finding out the news.

This month, Dwight Howard was on his latest reality TV stint with Inside: USA. It premiered on Netflix this month but he had filmed it this month.

Right around the time he was in a mysterious set with ceiling so low, Howard probably hasn’t stood at full height in eight episodes, no contact with friends and family, no communication devices on him, and laser-focused on the $1 million prize, the news came that he went from nominee to a Hall of Fame-elect.

One of his close friends and content creators, Mu Real shared on his Stories how Howard’s team desperately informed him about the news. “@dwighthoward Legendary 🙏 He couldn’t have his phone for the 7 days filming…so when we got the call I had to tell the staff at Netflix to let him know the news,” he said on a post by Howard celebrating the friendships he made on the show.

The influencers and his rivals in the house became the guys he first got to share the milestone with. If you caught up with Inside yet, Dwight was ominously called to Room 19. The other contestants were almost worried about what’s going on.

Inside the confessional, Howard got the note that changed everything.

Dwight Howard shares emotional moment with his competitors

Very rarely do we see how a player reacts to news about going into the Hall of Fame. We assume it’s usually emotional. Inside: USA showed how they broke the news to him.

They did it in typical Inside fashion, with a cryptic summons on the TV screen. Howard received a card in the room that he read out loud. “Congratulations, Dwight. You have been inducted to the basketball hall of fame. We couldn’t be happier to share the news with you. Love, the Sidemen.”

While other contestants are getting worried outside, Howard broke down in tears. He tearfully told the cameras, “As a kid, it’s everything that i dreamed about. It’s so good. This is what we play for. Oh, that’s not. I’m a hall of famer. That’s crazy. This is what all the hard work and dedication, and the late nights, early mornings of training, the blood, the sweat, the tears, this is where it landed me, the Hall of Fame.”

Howard went out and told the contestants the news and they felt privileged to share the moment with him. Later the show invites all of them to the Inside Store for a special treat, champagne and flutes to drink them in.

We have to wonder how did Howard manage to tweet the invitation to Shaquille O’Neal the very same day if he didn’t have a phone on him. Maybe they made an exception. But we loved seeing this moment in a unique setting anyway.