History of Dwight Howard in Timeline
Dwight Howard is an American professional basketball player. Known as "Superman" early in his career for his athleticism, he achieved significant accolades in the NBA. These include winning an NBA championship, being selected as an All-Star eight times, earning eight All-NBA Team selections, being named to the All-Defensive Team five times, and winning the Defensive Player of the Year award three times. He played center, showcasing rebounding and shot-blocking skills.
1962: Wilt Chamberlain's free throw record
In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain set the NBA regular season record of 34 free throws attempted in a game, which Dwight Howard would later break.
December 8, 1985: Dwight Howard's Birth
On December 8, 1985, Dwight David Howard II was born. He would later become a professional basketball player known as "Superman."
1995: Inspired by Kevin Garnett
In 1995, Kevin Garnett's decision to forego college inspired Dwight Howard to declare for the 2004 NBA draft.
2004: Drafted First Overall by Orlando Magic
In 2004, Dwight Howard bypassed college and entered the NBA draft. He was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic.
2004: Named Best High School Player
In 2004, Dwight Howard was recognized as the best American high school basketball player and received the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, the Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year Award, Gatorade National Player of the Year, and the McDonald's National High School Player of the Year honor.
2004: Selected First Overall in NBA Draft
In 2004, the Orlando Magic selected Dwight Howard first overall in the NBA draft.
2004: Appeared in ESPN NBA 2K5
Starting in 2004 with ESPN NBA 2K5, Dwight Howard appeared in every entry of the NBA 2K series of basketball simulation video games up until 2021. He also appeared in every NBA Live entry from 2005 onwards until the series was canceled in 2018.
November 15, 2005: Recorded 21 Points and 20 Rebounds
On November 15, 2005, Dwight Howard recorded 21 points and 20 rebounds against the Charlotte Bobcats, becoming the youngest player to achieve this feat.
2005: Named to All-Rookie Team
In 2005, Dwight Howard was unanimously selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team.
March 5, 2006: Named to USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team
On March 5, 2006, Dwight Howard was named to the 2006–2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program.
April 2, 2006: Guest Appearance on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
On April 2, 2006, Dwight Howard made a special guest appearance on an episode of the ABC series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, where he assisted Ty Pennington and his team in building a new home and ministry offices for Sadie Holmes in Orlando.
2006: Played in Rookie Challenge
Dwight Howard played on the Sophomore Team in the 2006 Rookie Challenge during the All-Star break.
2006: Played in All 82 Regular Season Games
In the 2006-07 season, Dwight Howard played in all 82 regular season games for the third consecutive season.
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.
December 2007: Declared Most Dominant Center
In December 2007, ESPN writer David Thorpe declared Dwight Howard the most dominant center in the NBA, recognizing his early career potential and impact on the league.
2007: Impressive Numbers for Magic
Dwight Howard continued to post impressive numbers in the 2007-08 season and helped the Magic have their best season to date.
2007: NBA Rebounding Leader
In 2007, Dwight Howard began a streak of leading the NBA in rebounding, showcasing his exceptional athleticism and dominance in the center position.
February 16, 2008: Won NBA Slam Dunk Contest
On February 16, 2008, Dwight Howard won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, wearing a "Superman" cape for one of the dunks.
June 23, 2008: Named to the Olympic Team
On June 23, 2008, Dwight Howard was named as one of the members of the 12-man squad representing the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
2008: Led League in Blocks
In the 2008-09 season, Dwight Howard began leading the league in blocks per game.
November 2009: Jefferson Awards Finalist
In November 2009, Dwight Howard was named one of the 10 finalists for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, recognizing athletes for their charitable work.
2009: NBA Playoffs Performance Praised
Following a game in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, Andre Iguodala praised Dwight Howard's defensive abilities, noting his capacity to guard multiple players simultaneously and suggesting the need for rule changes if Howard's athleticism continued to improve.
2009: Won Defensive Player of the Year Award
In 2009, Dwight Howard became the youngest player ever to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
2009: Led Magic to NBA Finals
In 2009, Dwight Howard led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals.
2009: Strong Start to the Season
In the 2009-10 season, the Magic had a strong start, winning 17 of their first 21 games, 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: Won Defamation Judgment Against Royce Reed
In 2010, Dwight Howard won a defamation judgment against Royce Reed, the mother of his oldest child, for violating a court order prohibiting her from mentioning him in the media.
2010: Career Highs in Points and Field Goal Percentage
In the 2010-11 season, Dwight Howard posted career highs in points and field goal percentage.
2011: Won Third Consecutive Defensive Player of the Year
In 2011, Dwight Howard became the first player in league history to win Defensive Player of the Year honors for three consecutive seasons.
2011: Demanded Trade From Orlando Magic
In 2011, Dwight Howard demanded a trade from the Orlando Magic to the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, or Dallas Mavericks.
2011: Guest Star on The Suite Life on Deck
In 2011, Dwight Howard played himself on an episode of The Suite Life on Deck, along with fellow NBA players Deron Williams and Kevin Love.
2011: Vertical leap test
In 2011, Dwight Howard's running vertical leap was tested at 39.5 inches (100 cm), highlighting his rare athleticism for a player of his size.
January 12, 2012: Attempted Record 39 Free Throws
On January 12, 2012, Dwight Howard attempted an NBA regular season record 39 free throws against the Golden State Warriors.
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 McDonald's All-American
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 of Contract
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: Underwent Back Surgery
On April 19, 2012, Dwight Howard's agent announced that Howard would undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back and would miss the rest of the 2011–12 season and the 2012 Summer Olympics.
August 10, 2012: Trade 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: Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
In 2012, after eight seasons with the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
January 4, 2013: Right shoulder injury
On January 4, 2013, Dwight Howard injured his right shoulder during the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
July 13, 2013: Signed with the Houston Rockets
On July 13, 2013, Dwight Howard signed with the Houston Rockets, teaming up with James Harden.
2013: Negative Locker Room Presence
In 2013, Dwight Howard's reputation as a negative locker room presence became more apparent. He called his former Orlando Magic teammates a 'team full of people no one wanted', and Bleacher Report asserted he had 'extinguished all bridges' with the Magic franchise.
October 2014: Abuse Allegations Investigated
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: Tweeted Support for Palestine
During the 2014 Gaza war, Dwight Howard tweeted "Free Palestine", but NBA commissioner Adam Silver immediately told him to remove the tweet and apologize.
2014: Featured in Epix Documentary
In 2014, Epix featured Dwight Howard as the focal point of a documentary about his life called In the Moment.
November 4, 2015: 23 points and 14 rebounds against the Orlando Magic
On November 4, 2015, Dwight Howard scored 23 points and had 14 rebounds against the Orlando Magic, shooting 10-of-10 to become the first Rocket to make 10 or more field goals without a miss since Yao Ming in 2009.
January 18, 2016: Career-high tying performance
On January 18, 2016, in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Dwight Howard scored 36 points and tied a career high with 26 rebounds.
June 22, 2016: Declined player option and became a free agent
On June 22, 2016, Dwight Howard declined his $23 million player option for the 2016–17 season, becoming an unrestricted free agent.
July 12, 2016: Signed with the 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: Traded to the Charlotte Hornets
On June 20, 2017, Dwight Howard was traded by the Hawks to the Charlotte Hornets.
July 6, 2018: Traded to the Brooklyn Nets and waived
On July 6, 2018, Dwight Howard was traded to the Brooklyn Nets and was immediately waived upon being acquired.
July 12, 2018: Signed with the Washington Wizards
On July 12, 2018, Dwight Howard signed with the Washington Wizards.
2018: NBA Live series canceled
Dwight Howard's appearances in the NBA Live series of video games ended in 2018 when the series was canceled following NBA Live 19.
2018: Reputation as unpopular player
In 2018, NBC News reported Dwight 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' in which it called Howard 'almost certainly the least popular player in the NBA'.
April 18, 2019: Exercised player option with Wizards
On April 18, 2019, Dwight Howard exercised his $5.6 million player option to play a second season with the Washington Wizards.
July 6, 2019: Traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
On July 6, 2019, Dwight Howard was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
August 24, 2019: Waived by the Grizzlies
On August 24, 2019, Dwight Howard was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies.
August 26, 2019: Signed with the Los Angeles Lakers
On August 26, 2019, Dwight Howard signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, marking his return to the team.
2019: Lakers warned Howard about disruptive behavior
In 2019, before signing with the Lakers, Dwight Howard reportedly met with the team multiple times, promising not to live up to his reputation as a difficult teammate who disrupts locker rooms. The team warned him that he would be released if he became a disruptive presence.
January 13, 2020: Season-high performance
On January 13, 2020, Dwight Howard scored a season-high 21 points and got a season-high 15 rebounds for the Lakers.
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. David was with Howard at his home in Georgia at the time.
November 21, 2020: Signed with the Philadelphia 76ers
On November 21, 2020, Dwight Howard signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
2020: Won NBA Finals with Lakers
In 2020, Dwight Howard won the NBA Finals while playing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
August 6, 2021: Signed with the Los Angeles Lakers
On August 6, 2021, Dwight Howard signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for another stint with the team.
2021: Appeared in NBA 2K22
Dwight Howard's appearances in the NBA 2K series of video games ended in 2021 with NBA 2K22.
2021: Signed with Taoyuan Leopards
In 2021, Dwight Howard signed with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League.
November 7, 2022: Signed with the Taoyuan Leopards
On November 7, 2022, Dwight Howard signed with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan.
2022: Charitable Auction on 37th Birthday
On his 37th birthday in 2022, Dwight Howard raised over NT$3 million (US$97,969) with a charitable auction, including collectible jerseys and pairs of shoes, benefiting CountryEDU Charity Foundation and the Good Shepherd Social Welfare foundation. He also visited schools to interact with students and inspire them to pursue their passion.
February 2023: Named T1 League All-Star
In February 2023, Dwight Howard was named an All-Star for the T1 League, was named All-Star Game Most Famous Player, and selected to participate in the Three-Point Contest.
May 10, 2023: Selected to the T1 League All-Defensive First Team
On May 10, 2023, Dwight Howard was selected to the T1 League All-Defensive First Team.
2023: Finished Third on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test
In 2023, Dwight Howard finished third on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.
March 1, 2024: 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: Joined the Taiwan Mustangs of The Asian Tournament
On May 30, 2024, Dwight Howard joined the Taiwan Mustangs of The Asian Tournament (TAT).
August 2024: Lawsuit Dismissed
In August 2024, a lawsuit against Dwight Howard alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment was dismissed with prejudice. The lawsuit stemmed from an encounter with the man at Howard's Georgia residence in July 2021. Howard denied the allegations and stated that the two had engaged in 'consensual sexual activity'.
September 4, 2024: Competed on Dancing with the Stars
On September 4, 2024, Dwight Howard competed on the thirty-third season of Dancing with the Stars, paired with Daniella Karagach.
2024: Appeared in Netflix Docu-Series Somebody Feed Phil
In 2024, Dwight Howard appeared as a guest in the 'Taipei' episode of Netflix docu-series Somebody Feed Phil. Dining with Philip Rosenthal, Howard discussed his charity work and the cultural shock he experienced upon moving to Taiwan, while enjoying Taiwanese and Hong Kong cuisine.
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