Former Lakers Champ Dwight Howard Announces Retirement Amid Legal Drama

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Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on January 27, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dwight Howard has officially retired from the NBA, the former Los Angeles Lakers center announced in a post on social media.

Howard, who won a championship in his second stint with the Lakers in 2020, last played in the 2021-22 season. He began his career as the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft with the Orlando Magic, followed by a brief stint with the Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles team, before going to the Houston Rockets.

He also played seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers.

The news of Howard’s retirement comes amid legal drama with his wife, Amber Howard.

Dwight Howard Announces Retirement

In a lengthy post on Instagram, Howard officially announced his retirement from basketball. While his NBA career ended in 2022, he had a stint playing in Puerto Rico, but he is now done playing the game.

“Woke up today on the 12th of this month and I figured it’s time to move on from Superman! Im no super human… I cry ! I struggle! I feel like everyone else. Through the lies, the media and the hate I still show love and Smile Through The Storm,” Howard wrote in the retirement announcement post. 

“But now Im taking off the cape and retiring from all basketball to pour into my family and give back to communities worldwide. I know some of you might think I thought he already “retired” but I didn’t… the game retired me!” he continued. 

Howard went on to thank his fans, supporters, and even doubters throughout his career, crediting them for his success.

While the star center didn’t receive the traditional ‘farewell tour‘ given to so many of the NBA greats upon their retirement announcement, Howard instead offered a different way for fans to show their appreciation for what he gave to the game.

“Every 12th of the month from now on will be D12 day where I visit cities all over the world and do acts of kindness for random to people to give them a reason to Smile,” the 40-year-old closed with.

In his 18 NBA seasons, Howard averaged 15.7 rebounds, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks on 58.7% shooting in 1242 total games. He won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award three times, was an eight-time All-Star and All-NBA selection, and a five-time All-Defensive team selection. He is already a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2025.

Dwight Howard Divorce

While in his retirement announcement, Howard claimed that he intended to spend more time with his family, the news comes as the ex-basketball player is dealing with legal trouble with his wife.

According to TMZ, Howard is in the middle of a divorce with his wife after she reportedly made accusations against him, citing that the marriage was ‘irretrievably broken.’

While she had previously stated her intentions to file for divorce, Howard reportedly beat her to filing the legal paperwork. 

In a separate article by TMZ, Howard’s wife claimed he had locked her out of their house and claimed he had lost custody of their child.

Facts about the relationship between the two are still coming out.

For now, what is clear is that Howard has announced his retirement from basketball after a lengthy, tumultuous, but overall successful career.

Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski