Dwight Howard has been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025. It was his first time on the ballot.
ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report on Howard’s impending induction on Friday.
Howard was the No. 1 overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2004 NBA Draft and spent the first eight seasons of his 18-year career with the team.
After his time in Orlando, Howard joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the first of three stints, and also spent time with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers.
The 39-year-old Howard last played in the NBA as a member of the aforementioned Lakers in 2021-2022.
Following the conclusion of his NBA career, Howard spent one season with the Taoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). He also briefly signed with the Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in 2024 but never played for them.
Howard is an eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, five-time NBA rebounding leader, five-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and one-time NBA champion.
Howard joins Carmelo Anthony, who was also elected on the first ballot, as members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 thus far.
