History of Dwight Howard in Timeline

Dwight Howard is a former American professional basketball player, known as "Superman" for his athleticism. An NBA champion and eight-time All-Star, Howard has been recognized as one of the league's best, earning eight All-NBA Team selections. He also excelled defensively, securing five All-Defensive Team nods and winning the Defensive Player of the Year award three times.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1962: Wilt Chamberlain's record

On January 12, 2012, Howard broke Wilt Chamberlain's regular-season record of 34 free throws set in 1962.

December 8, 1985: Dwight Howard's Birth

On December 8, 1985, Dwight David Howard II was born in Atlanta, Georgia.

Others born on this day/year

1995: Inspiration from Kevin Garnett

In 1995, Kevin Garnett's decision to forego college inspired Dwight Howard's decision to declare for the 2004 NBA draft.

2004: High School Achievements

In 2004, Dwight Howard led his team to a 31–2 record and the state title, averaging 25 points, 18 rebounds, 8.1 blocks and 3.5 assists per game. He was also named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, the Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year, Gatorade National Player of the Year and the McDonald's National High School Player of the Year. He was co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game.

2004: Drafted by Orlando Magic

In 2004, Dwight Howard was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in the NBA draft after forgoing college.

2004: Selected First Overall in NBA Draft

In 2004, Dwight Howard was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in the NBA draft and took the number 12 for his jersey.

2004: Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc.

In 2004, Dwight Howard, together with his parents, established the Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc.

2004: First NBA 2K Appearance

Starting with ESPN NBA 2K5 in 2004, Dwight Howard appeared in every entry of the NBA 2K series of basketball simulation video games up until NBA 2K22 in 2021.

2004: 2004 Olympics

The United States' streak of winning gold medals was interrupted at the 2004 Olympics.

November 15, 2005: Youngest Player with 20/20 Game

On November 15, 2005, Dwight Howard became the youngest player ever to score 20 or more points and gather 20 or more rebounds in the same game.

2005: Led the NBA in Dunks

Dwight Howard led the NBA in dunks for six consecutive seasons, from 2005-06 to 2010-2011.

2005: All-Rookie Team Selection

In 2005, Dwight Howard was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie Team and played in the NBA Rookie Challenge.

2005: First NBA Live Appearance

Starting with NBA Live 2005 in 2005, Dwight Howard appeared in every NBA Live entry until the series was canceled in 2018 following NBA Live 19.

March 5, 2006: Howard Named to USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Program

On March 5, 2006, Dwight Howard was named to the 2006–2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program.

April 2, 2006: Appearance on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

On April 2, 2006, Dwight Howard appeared as a special guest on an episode of the ABC series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

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2006: 2006-07 Season Achievements

During the 2006–07 NBA season, Howard played in all 82 regular-season games for the third consecutive season. He qualified for the 2007 NBA Playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

2006: Rookie Challenge Selection

In 2006, Dwight Howard was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the Rookie Challenge during the All-Star break.

February 1, 2007: First NBA All-Star Selection

On February 1, 2007, Dwight Howard received his first NBA All-Star selection as a reserve on the Eastern Conference squad.

February 9, 2007: Game-Winning Alley-Oop

On February 9, 2007, Dwight Howard made a game-winning alley-oop off an inbound pass at the buzzer against the San Antonio Spurs.

December 2007: Declared Dominant Center

In December 2007, ESPN writer David Thorpe declared Dwight Howard the most dominant center in the NBA.

2007: Impressive Numbers

Dwight Howard continued posting impressive numbers in the 2007–08 season and helped the Magic have their best season to date.

2007: Led the NBA in Dunks

Dwight Howard led the NBA in dunks for six consecutive seasons, from 2005-06 to 2010-2011, with a high of 269 dunks in the 2007-2008 season

2007: Slam Dunk Contest Participation

In 2007, Dwight Howard participated in the Slam Dunk Contest, completing an alley oop dunk from Jameer Nelson while slapping a sticker onto the backboard. He also began a streak of leading the NBA in rebounding from 2007 to 2010.

February 16, 2008: NBA Slam Dunk Contest Winner

On February 16, 2008, Dwight Howard won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with innovative dunks, including one with a Superman cape, receiving 78% of the fan votes.

June 23, 2008: Named to Olympic Team

On June 23, 2008, Dwight Howard was named to the 12-man squad to represent the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

2008: Led the NBA in Dunks

Dwight Howard led the NBA in dunks for six consecutive seasons, from 2005-06 to 2010-2011, with a high of 269 dunks in the 2007-2008 season

November 2009: Jefferson Awards Finalist

In November 2009, Dwight Howard was named one of the 10 finalists for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service.

2009: NBA Playoffs Performance

After a game in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, Philadelphia 76ers swingman Andre Iguodala praised Dwight Howard's defensive capabilities.

2009: Led Magic to NBA Finals

In 2009, Dwight Howard led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals.

2009: Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year

In 2009, Dwight Howard was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the youngest player to ever win the award. He led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals.

2009: Strong Start to 2009-10 season

In the 2009–10 season, the Magic got off to a strong start, winning 17 of their first 21 games and setting a franchise record.

January 21, 2010: Named All-Star Starter

On January 21, 2010, Dwight Howard was named as the starting center for the East in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game.

2010: NBA Rebounding Leader

Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding from 2007 to 2010.

2010: Defamation Judgment Against Royce Reed

In 2010, Dwight Howard won a defamation judgment against Royce Reed, the mother of his oldest child Braylon, after she violated a court order prohibiting her from mentioning him in the media.

2010: Defensive Player of the Year Award

In the 2010–11 season, Dwight Howard became the first player in league history to win Defensive Player of the Year honors for three consecutive seasons.

2011: Appearance on The Suite Life on Deck

In 2011, Dwight Howard played himself on an episode of The Suite Life on Deck alongside fellow NBA players Deron Williams and Kevin Love.

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2011: Vertical Leap Measured

In 2011, Dwight Howard's running vertical leap was tested at 39.5 inches.

2011: Demanded Trade

In 2011, during the lockout-shortened season, Dwight Howard demanded a trade to the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, or Dallas Mavericks.

2011: Asked to be traded to the New Jersey Nets

On March 15, 2012, on the day of the trading deadline for the 2011–12 NBA season, Howard had previously asked to be traded to the New Jersey Nets.

January 12, 2012: Attempted NBA Regular Season Record

On January 12, 2012, Dwight Howard attempted an NBA regular season record 39 free throws against the Golden State Warriors, making 21 of them.

January 24, 2012: Magic's All-Time Scoring Leader

On January 24, 2012, Dwight Howard became the Orlando Magic's all-time scoring leader.

January 31, 2012: Honored as One of the Greatest McDonald's All-Americans

On January 31, 2012, Dwight Howard was honored as one of the 35 greatest McDonald's All-Americans.

March 15, 2012: Waived Right to Opt Out

On March 15, 2012, Dwight Howard waived his right to opt out of his contract and committed to stay with the Magic through the 2012–13 season.

April 19, 2012: Howard to Undergo Back Surgery

On April 19, 2012, Dwight Howard's agent announced that Howard would undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2011-12 season and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

August 10, 2012: Howard Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers

On August 10, 2012, Dwight Howard was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a deal involving the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets.

2012: NBA Rebounding Leader

Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding again from 2012 to 2013.

2012: Five-Year Extension

Following his breakout campaign, Dwight Howard signed a five-year, $80 million extension that would keep him in Orlando through the 2012–13 season.

2012: Traded to Los Angeles Lakers

In 2012, Dwight Howard was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after playing eight seasons with the Orlando Magic.

January 4, 2013: Howard Injured His Right Shoulder

On January 4, 2013, Howard injured his right shoulder in the second half of the Lakers' 107–102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

July 13, 2013: Howard Signs with the Houston Rockets

On July 13, 2013, Dwight Howard signed a four-year, $88 million contract with the Houston Rockets, joining James Harden.

2013: NBA Rebounding Leader

Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding again from 2012 to 2013.

2013: Criticism of Former Teammates

In a 2013 interview, Dwight Howard called his former Orlando Magic teammates a "team full of people no one wanted". Also, a 2013 article by Bleacher Report asserted Howard had "extinguished all bridges" with the Magic franchise.

October 2014: Child Abuse Investigation

In October 2014, police in Cobb County, Georgia, investigated claims by Royce Reed that Dwight Howard abused their son. Howard admitted to hitting Braylon with a belt but was not charged.

2014: Tweet and Controversy

During the 2014 Gaza war, Dwight Howard tweeted "Free Palestine", but NBA commissioner Adam Silver told him to remove the tweet and apologize.

2014: In the Moment Documentary

In 2014, Epix featured Dwight Howard as the focal point of a documentary about his life called In the Moment.

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November 4, 2015: Howard Achieves 23 Points and 14 Rebounds Against Orlando Magic

On November 4, 2015, Dwight Howard scored 23 points and had 14 rebounds against the Orlando Magic, shooting 10-of-10, becoming the first Rocket to make 10 or more field goals without a miss since Yao Ming in 2009.

2015: Incident with Isaiah Canaan

During a 2015 game, Dwight Howard, as a member of the Rockets, was caught on video grabbing the genitals of teammate Isaiah Canaan.

January 18, 2016: Howard Records 36 Points and 26 Rebounds

On January 18, 2016, in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Howard had 36 points and tied a career high with 26 rebounds, marking his 10th straight double-double.

June 22, 2016: Howard Declines Player Option

On June 22, 2016, Dwight Howard declined his $23 million player option for the 2016–17 season and became an unrestricted free agent.

July 12, 2016: Howard Signs with Atlanta Hawks

On July 12, 2016, Dwight Howard signed a three-year, $70 million contract with his hometown team, the Atlanta Hawks.

June 20, 2017: Howard Traded to Charlotte Hornets

On June 20, 2017, the Atlanta Hawks traded Dwight Howard, along with the 31st overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, to the Charlotte Hornets.

July 6, 2018: Howard Traded to Brooklyn Nets

On July 6, 2018, Dwight Howard was traded to the Brooklyn Nets and then waived immediately upon being acquired.

July 12, 2018: Howard Signs with Washington Wizards

On July 12, 2018, Dwight Howard signed a two-year, $10.9 million contract with the Washington Wizards.

2018: Reports of Interpersonal Strife

In 2018, NBC News reported that "Howard’s time with the Magic, Lakers and Rockets devolved into interpersonal strife well before he left those teams". Also in 2018, The Ringer published a piece titled "Everybody (Still) Hates Dwight".

2018: NBA Live Series Cancellation

The NBA Live series was canceled in 2018 following NBA Live 19, ending Dwight Howard's appearances in the game.

April 18, 2019: Howard Exercises Player Option

On April 18, 2019, Dwight Howard exercised his $5.6 million player option to play a second season with the Wizards.

July 6, 2019: Howard Traded to Memphis Grizzlies

On July 6, 2019, Dwight Howard was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for C. J. Miles.

August 24, 2019: Howard Waived by Grizzlies

On August 24, 2019, Dwight Howard was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies.

August 26, 2019: Howard Signs with Los Angeles Lakers

On August 26, 2019, Dwight Howard signed a $2.6 million veteran's minimum contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, reuniting with his former team.

2019: Lakers Warning

When the Lakers signed Dwight Howard in 2019, the team reportedly warned Howard that he would be dismissed if he engaged in any "tomfoolery or shenanigans".

January 13, 2020: Howard Scores Season-High 21 Points

On January 13, 2020, Dwight Howard scored a season-high 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting and got a season-high 15 rebounds.

March 27, 2020: Death of Melissa Rios

On March 27, 2020, Melissa Rios, the mother of Dwight Howard's son David, died following an epileptic seizure.

November 21, 2020: Howard Signs with Philadelphia 76ers

On November 21, 2020, Dwight Howard signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers worth $2,564,753.

2020: Won NBA Championship with Lakers

In 2020, Dwight Howard won an NBA championship as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

July 2021: Incident at Howard's Residence

In July 2021, an encounter at Dwight Howard's Georgia residence led to a lawsuit for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment in July 2023.

August 6, 2021: Howard Signs with Los Angeles Lakers Again

On August 6, 2021, Dwight Howard signed a $2.6 million veteran's minimum contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for another stint.

2021: Signed with Taoyuan Leopards

After the 2021–22 NBA season, Dwight Howard moved overseas and signed with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League.

2021: Final NBA 2K Appearance

Dwight Howard's last appearance in the NBA 2K series of basketball simulation video games was in 2021's NBA 2K22.

November 7, 2022: Howard Signs with Taoyuan Leopards

On November 7, 2022, Dwight Howard signed with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan.

2022: Charitable Auction

On his 37th birthday in 2022, Dwight Howard raised over NT$3 million with a charitable auction, selling collectible jerseys and pairs of shoes worn by Howard.

February 2023: Howard Named T1 League All-Star

In February 2023, Dwight Howard was named an All-Star for the T1 League, All-Star Game Most Famous Player, and selected to participate in the Three-Point Contest.

May 10, 2023: Howard Selected to T1 League All-Defensive First Team

On May 10, 2023, Dwight Howard was selected to the T1 League All-Defensive First Team for the 2022–23 season.

July 2023: Lawsuit for Assault and Battery

In July 2023, Dwight Howard was sued for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment by a man regarding an incident in July 2021.

2023: Special Forces: World's Toughest Test

In 2023, Dwight Howard finished third on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.

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March 1, 2024: Howard Briefly Signed with Mets de Guaynabo

On March 1, 2024, Dwight Howard briefly signed with the Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, but never played for them.

May 30, 2024: Howard Joins Taiwan Mustangs

On May 30, 2024, Dwight Howard joined the Taiwan Mustangs of The Asian Tournament (TAT).

August 2024: Dismissal of Lawsuit

In August 2024, the lawsuit against Dwight Howard for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment was dismissed with prejudice.

September 4, 2024: Dancing with the Stars Season 33

On September 4, 2024, Dwight Howard competed on the thirty-third season of Dancing with the Stars, paired with Daniella Karagach.

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2024: Appearance on Somebody Feed Phil

In 2024, Dwight Howard appeared as a guest in the "Taipei" episode of the Netflix docu-series Somebody Feed Phil.

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2025: Howard to be Inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

In 2025, Dwight Howard was chosen to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as an individual player and also as a member of the 2008 United States men's Olympic basketball team.