Dwight Howard gets real on regrets leaving Magic for Lakers

In light of Dwight Howard’s Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, he reflected on his NBA career, including leaving the Orlando Magic to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Howard says his intention was never to leave the Magic, but he doesn’t regret the decision because of the lessons that came with it, which eventually led to him making the HOF.

Howard discussed leaving his first team for the Lakers, per the Dan Patrick Show.

“My intentions was not to go to the Lakers after Orlando. Now knowing what I know now, leaving Orlando taught me many lessons in life that I needed,” Howard said. “I feel like if I would’ve stayed in Orlando maybe I wouldn’t have learned those same lessons. It’s just how you look at it. I hate the fact that I did have to leave Orlando, that was my first home, but I believe everything happened exactly how it’s supposed to happen, and I can’t question fate. The only thing that I’m glad about is that it led me to the Hall of Fame.”

After March’s Magic Hall of Fame induction for Howard, he will be inducted as a member of the Class of 2025. ESPN’s Sham Charania broke the story via X, formerly Twitter.

“Dwight Howard has been elected as a first-ballot member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, sources tell ESPN. Howard was an 8-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA, 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, a 2020 NBA champion, and won one Olympic gold medal with Team USA,” Charania reported.

At the time with the Magic, Dwight Howard had an ongoing feud with head coach Stan Van Gundy. Howard had even asked the Magic to fire Van Gundy, and saw heading to the Lakers as his best chance to compete for an NBA title.

Dwight Howard’s emotional Magic Hall of Fame speech