History of Dwight Howard in Timeline
Dwight Howard is a former professional basketball player, known as "Superman" for his athleticism. He is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team selection, five-time All-Defensive Team member, and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He had a successful career marked by individual accolades and an NBA championship.
1962: Broke Wilt Chamberlain's Record
In January 12, 2012, Howard broke Wilt Chamberlain's regular-season record of 34 attempted free throws set in 1962.
December 8, 1985: Dwight Howard's Birth
On December 8, 1985, Dwight David Howard II was born. He would later be known as a professional basketball player.
1995: Inspired by Kevin Garnett
In 1995, Kevin Garnett inspired Dwight Howard to declare for the NBA draft after high school.
2004: Declared for NBA Draft
In 2004, Dwight Howard chose to forego college and declared for the NBA draft, where the Orlando Magic selected him first overall.
2004: High School Successes and Awards
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 as a senior. That same year, he received multiple recognitions, including 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: Drafted by Orlando Magic
In 2004, Dwight Howard was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in the NBA draft after foregoing college.
2004: Established Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc.
In 2004, Dwight Howard, along with his parents, established the Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc. to support philanthropic endeavors.
2004: Interrupted Gold Medal Streak
In the 2004 Olympics, the United States men's basketball team's streak of gold medals was interrupted.
2004: Debut in NBA 2K Series
Starting with 2004's ESPN NBA 2K5, Dwight Howard began appearing in the NBA 2K series of basketball simulation video games.
November 15, 2005: Youngest Player with 20+ Points and 20+ Rebounds
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, recording 21 points and 20 rebounds against the Charlotte Bobcats.
2005: Led the NBA in Dunks
Dwight Howard led the NBA in dunks for six consecutive seasons, from 2005-06 to 2010-2011.
2005: NBA Rookie Season
In 2005, during his rookie season, Dwight Howard averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds, setting several NBA records. He was also selected to play in the 2005 NBA Rookie Challenge and was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie Team.
2005: Debut in NBA Live Series
Starting with 2004's NBA Live 2005, Dwight Howard began appearing in the NBA Live series.
March 5, 2006: Howard Named to USA Basketball 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.
2006: Sophomore Season
In 2006, Dwight Howard was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the Rookie Challenge during the All-Star break, averaging 15.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.
2006: Played in All 82 Games
In the 2006-07 season, Dwight Howard played in all 82 regular-season games.
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 for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game.
December 2007: David Thorpe Declares Howard Most Dominant Center
In December 2007, ESPN writer David Thorpe proclaimed Dwight Howard the most dominant center in the NBA.
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
In 2007, Dwight Howard participated in the Slam Dunk Contest where he performed an alley oop dunk while adhering a sticker to the backboard.
2007: Impressive Numbers and Team Success
In the 2007-08 season, Howard continued posting impressive numbers and helped the Magic have their best season to date.
February 16, 2008: NBA Slam Dunk Contest Winner
On February 16, 2008, Dwight Howard won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest by receiving 78% of the fan's votes, performing innovative dunks including one with a Superman cape.
June 23, 2008: Named to Olympic Team
On June 23, 2008, Dwight Howard was selected as one of the twelve players to represent the United States at 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
2008: League Leader in Blocks
In the 2008-09 season, Dwight Howard began leading the league in blocks per game with 4.2 ten games into the season.
November 2009: Nomination for Jefferson Awards
In November 2009, Dwight Howard was named one of the 10 finalists for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, recognizing his charitable work.
2009: NBA Playoffs Game
During a game in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, Andre Iguodala commented on Dwight Howard's defensive capabilities, stating he could guard two players simultaneously.
2009: NBA Finals with Orlando Magic
In 2009, Dwight Howard led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals.
2009: Defensive Player of the Year
In 2009, Dwight Howard was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the youngest player ever to win the award. The Magic also reached the NBA Finals, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
2009: Strong Start to the 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
In 2010, Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding.
2010: Defamation Judgment Against Royce Reed
In 2010, Dwight Howard won a defamation judgment against Royce Reed for violating a court order by mentioning him in the media.
2010: Defensive Player of the Year
In 2010, Dwight Howard won the Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second straight year and posted career highs in points and field goal percentage.
2011: Appearance on The Suite Life on Deck
In 2011, Dwight Howard appeared as himself on an episode of The Suite Life on Deck with Deron Williams and Kevin Love.
2011: 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: Vertical Leap Measurement
In 2011, Dwight Howard's running vertical leap was measured at 39.5 inches, showcasing his exceptional athleticism.
2011: Trade Demands
In 2011, with Dwight Howard eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season, he demanded a trade to the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, or Dallas Mavericks.
2011: Howard Asked to be Traded
Prior to March 15, 2012, Howard had asked to be traded to the New Jersey Nets. Had he not signed the amendment, the Magic were prepared to trade him to avoid losing him as a free agent.
January 12, 2012: Attempted Record Free Throws
On January 12, 2012, Dwight Howard attempted an NBA regular season record 39 free throws against the Golden State Warriors, making 21 of them and finishing with 45 points and 23 rebounds in the Magic's victory.
January 24, 2012: Magic's All-Time Scoring Leader
On January 24, 2012, Dwight Howard became the 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 of Contract
On March 15, 2012, Dwight Howard waived his right to opt out of his contract at the end of the season 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 have 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 in a deal involving the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets.
2012: Contract Extension
Following his breakout campaign, Howard signed a five-year, $80 million extension that would keep him in Orlando through the 2012-13 season.
2012: NBA Rebounding Leader
In 2012, Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding.
2012: Traded to Los Angeles Lakers
In 2012, Dwight Howard was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after spending eight seasons with the Orlando Magic.
January 4, 2013: Howard Injures Right Shoulder
On January 4, 2013, Dwight Howard injured his right shoulder during the second half of the Los Angeles 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
In 2013, Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding.
2013: Criticism of Former Teammates
In a 2013 interview, Dwight Howard referred to his former Orlando Magic teammates as a "team full of people no one wanted."
October 2014: Abuse Claims Investigated
In October 2014, police investigated claims by Royce Reed that Dwight Howard abused their son, Braylon. Howard admitted to hitting Braylon with a belt.
2014: Controversial Tweet
During the 2014 Gaza war, Dwight Howard tweeted "Free Palestine," but he was instructed by NBA commissioner Adam Silver to remove it and apologize.
2014: Featured in Documentary
In 2014, Epix featured Dwight Howard in a documentary about his life titled In the Moment.
November 4, 2015: Howard Scores 23 Points and 14 Rebounds
On November 4, 2015, Dwight Howard scored 23 points and had 14 rebounds against the Orlando Magic, making all 10 of his field goal attempts. He became the first Rocket to achieve this since Yao Ming in 2009.
2015: Incident with Isaiah Canaan
During a 2015 game as a member of the Rockets, Dwight Howard was caught on video grabbing the genitals of teammate Isaiah Canaan.
January 18, 2016: Howard Scores 36 Points and Ties Career High in Rebounds
On January 18, 2016, Dwight Howard scored 36 points and tied a career high with 26 rebounds in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, marking his 10th consecutive 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, becoming 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, Dwight Howard was traded by the Atlanta Hawks, along with a draft pick, to the Charlotte Hornets for Marco Belinelli, Miles Plumlee and a draft pick.
July 6, 2018: Howard Traded to and Waived by Brooklyn Nets
On July 6, 2018, Dwight Howard was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, and was immediately waived by the team 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 Dwight Howard's tenures with the Magic, Lakers, and Rockets were marked by interpersonal strife before he left those teams. Also in 2018, The Ringer published a piece titled "Everybody (Still) Hates Dwight."
2018: End of NBA Live Series
The NBA Live series was canceled in 2018 following NBA Live 19.
April 18, 2019: Howard Exercises 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: Howard Traded to Memphis Grizzlies
On July 6, 2019, Dwight Howard was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for forward 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 Re-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, marking his return to the team.
2019: Engagement to Te'a Cooper
In 2019, Dwight Howard became engaged to WNBA player Te'a Cooper.
2019: Lakers' Warning Upon Signing
In 2019, when the Lakers signed Dwight Howard, the team reportedly warned him 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 with 9-of-11 shooting and secured a season-high 15 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers.
March 27, 2020: Death of Melissa Rios
On March 27, 2020, Melissa Rios, the mother of Dwight Howard's son David, passed away due to 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: NBA Championship with Los Angeles Lakers
In 2020, Dwight Howard won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.
July 2021: Encounter at Howard's Residence
In July 2021, Dwight Howard had an encounter with a man at his Georgia residence, which later led to a lawsuit in July 2023.
August 6, 2021: Howard Signs with Los Angeles Lakers
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 was in 2021's NBA 2K22.
2021: Parted Ways with Te'a Cooper
In 2021, Dwight Howard and Te'a Cooper ended their relationship.
November 7, 2022: Howard Joins 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) through a charitable auction benefiting CountryEDU Charity Foundation and the Good Shepherd Social Welfare foundation. He also visited schools to interact with students.
May 10, 2023: Howard Named 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: Assault Lawsuit Filed
In July 2023, Dwight Howard was sued by a man for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment stemming from a July 2021 encounter.
2023: Finished Third on Special Forces
In 2023, Dwight Howard finished third on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.
March 1, 2024: Howard Briefly Signs with Mets de Guaynabo
On March 1, 2024, Dwight Howard briefly signed with the Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, but did not play 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 Assault Lawsuit
In August 2024, the assault lawsuit filed against Dwight Howard was dismissed with prejudice.
September 4, 2024: Competed on Dancing with the Stars
On September 4, 2024, Dwight Howard began competing on the thirty-third season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Daniella Karagach.
2024: Engagement to Amy Luciani
In 2024, Dwight Howard announced his engagement to rapper and reality star Amy Luciani.
2024: Appearance on Somebody Feed Phil
In 2024, Dwight Howard appeared in the "Taipei" episode of the Netflix docu-series Somebody Feed Phil, discussing charity work and experiencing Taiwanese and Hong Kong cuisine.
January 2025: Marriage to Amy Luciani
In January 2025, Dwight Howard married rapper and reality star Amy Luciani in a private ceremony.
July 2025: Divorce Filing by Amy Luciani
In July 2025, Amy Luciani filed for divorce from Dwight Howard, citing irreconcilable differences.
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