(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
During the first 10 years of his playing career in the NBA, superstar center Dwight Howard was widely considered to be one of the best all-around players in the league while also being arguably the best defensive player in the NBA, as he seemed like an unstoppable force on that end of the basketball floor while playing for the Orlando Magic.
Howard was so good defensively that he’s the only player in league history to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year three times in a row, which is a testament to how dominant he was on that end during the prime of his career.
Unfortunately for Howard, after he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to play alongside Kobe Bryant, things started to trend downward for this defensive juggernaut, as he found it difficult to live up to expectations while playing with one of the greatest players ever to play the game that thrived under pressure under the bright lights of the City of Angels.
Ultimately, Howard left the Lakers after only one season and joined James Harden on the Houston Rockets, which also turned out poorly, resulting in the once-dominant big man becoming a journeyman in the league, as he ended up playing for seven teams in the league before being forced to play overseas.
With Howard now getting tired of the grind and wanting to spend more time with his family, he recently admitted the end of his playing career is drawing near at 38 years old via ClutchPoints.
“I love the game… I put in so much work… Now I wanna give that time to the kids, I done sacrificed so much time away,” Howard said.
“I love the game… I put in so much work… Now I wanna give that time to the kids, I done sacrificed so much time away.”
Dwight Howard on retiring from the NBA
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/dGFPTpZYbx
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 1, 2024
Every player who has played in the NBA struggles with the decision to leave basketball because it is the only thing they’ve focused on in their lives from a very young age.
Howard is no different as he was drafted straight out of high school and has been on the grind ever since while staying in exceptional shape and keeping his hopes alive of getting back in the league before his playing days are done, but he may have had enough and is finally ready to walk away.
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