In the course of the first 10 years of his enjoying profession within the NBA, famous person middle Dwight Howard was broadly thought of to be probably the greatest all-around gamers within the league whereas additionally being arguably the most effective defensive participant within the NBA, as he appeared like an unstoppable power on that finish of the basketball flooring whereas enjoying for the Orlando Magic.
Howard was so good defensively that he’s the one participant in league historical past to win NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months 3 times in a row, which is a testomony to how dominant he was on that finish throughout the prime of his profession.
Sadly for Howard, after he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to play alongside Kobe Bryant, issues began to pattern downward for this defensive juggernaut, as he discovered it troublesome to reside as much as expectations whereas enjoying with one of many best gamers ever to play the sport that thrived beneath stress beneath the intense lights of the Metropolis of Angels.
In the end, Howard left the Lakers after just one season and joined James Harden on the Houston Rockets, which additionally turned out poorly, ensuing within the once-dominant huge man turning into a journeyman within the league, as he ended up enjoying for seven groups within the league earlier than being pressured to play abroad.
With Howard now getting uninterested in the grind and eager to spend extra time together with his household, he just lately admitted the tip of his enjoying profession is drawing close to at 38 years outdated through ClutchPoints.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 mentioned.
“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 🙌
(through @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/dGFPTpZYbx
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 1, 2024
Each participant who has performed within the NBA struggles with the choice to depart basketball as a result of it’s the solely factor they’ve targeted on of their lives from a really younger age.
Howard isn’t any completely different as he was drafted straight out of highschool and has been on the grind ever since whereas staying in distinctive form and maintaining his hopes alive of getting again within the league earlier than his enjoying days are accomplished, however he might have had sufficient and is lastly able to stroll away.
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