Dwight Howard achieved what is arguably the most prized individual honor in basketball earlier today when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. For the former No. 1 pick, it was a fairytale moment, one that allowed him to finally let go of past bitterness.<\/p>\n
Howard\u2019s induction was well deserved. At his prime, he was one of the most dominant big men in the NBA, a double-double machine who won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. He averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds per game throughout his career and also led the Orlando Magic<\/a>, the team that drafted him, to the 2009 Finals.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why it was surprising in 2021, during the league\u2019s 75th anniversary season, when Howard missed out on the Top 75 players of all time list. It wasn\u2019t just shocking for fans, but for Howard himself. At the time, he made a big deal about it and claimed he was left off because of \u201cpolitics\u201d<\/a>. For years, this snub stung Howard a lot.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe 75, you know, it hurt. It was a big slap in the face to not be on that team,\u201d Howard admitted earlier today. But now in the Hall of Fame, it\u2019s hard for the big man to be too upset. <\/p>\n Howard was also a member of Team USA\u2019s 2008 Redeem Team. Thanks to the gold medal he helped secure, he entered the Hall of Fame not only as an NBA player but also as an Olympic athlete. The Redeem Team was inducted<\/a> on the same day, and Howard saw the double honor as a sign of a greater power making up for his omission from the Top 75 list.<\/p>\n \u201cTo go in the Hall of Fame, not only for what I did and the contributions for myself, but to help the USA win a gold medal and to go in twice in the same year. Man, it\u2019s like God said, \u2018You know what? I\u2019mma double pound you with a blessing. For being persistent and consistent,\u2019\u201d Howard shared.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dwight Howard on not being part of the 75th anniversary team <\/p>\n \u201cIt was a big slap in the face\u2026 but to go in the hall of fame twice in the same year, man it\u2019s like God said I\u2019m gonna double pound you with a blessing\u201d<\/p>\n (h\/t @ohnohedidnt24<\/a>)pic.twitter.com\/KItszrJNPq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n In the end, the achievements spoke for themselves, and missing out on the anniversary team did not end up mattering much for the former Los Angeles Laker<\/a>. Despite being viewed as controversial by some, it is undeniable that Howard<\/a> transcended his stats. He left a cultural impact on the game that deserves to be remembered, headlined by elite paint protection and vicious slams. Now he has been rewarded with an orange jacket and a commemorative ring to forever mark how great he was.<\/p>\n