Dwight Howard: Lakers 2020 Championship Was ‘Cherry On Top’ Of Hall Of Fame Resume

Dwight Howard is receiving basketball’s highest honor on Saturday when he is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 player class. The enshrinement will play live at 4:00 p.m. PT on NBA TV.

It’s the encapsulation of a career of one of the greatest two-way centers the game of basketball has ever seen. Howard was an eight-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA big with three Defensive Player of the Year awards — all from 2009-11 — and two Finals appearances. He won the 2020 NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers towards the tail end of his career.

While he was no longer an elite force by the time he was with the Lakers in 2020, he was still a vital part of that championship team. His impact was especially felt during the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets with his defense on Nikola Jokic.

Howard spoke about his induction into the Hall of Fame and is excited to see his work pay off, via Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson:

“Uh no. I’m just thankful that I’ve put myself in a position to be a Hall of Famer, you know? My work ethic, my discipline, my sacrifice, consistency and my faith has got me to the Hall of Fame and it’s an amazing honor to hear everywhere I go that people call me a Hall of Famer.”

While the bulk of Howard’s dominance came with the Orlando Magic, he wasn’t able to win it all until he was with the Lakers for the second time. He discussed how he views that title in the context of his career:

“I think it was just the cherry on top, you know? I think what I did in Orlando was very special for 8 years and then after that continue to play at a very high level — 18 years in the league is a very long time to be consistent on BOTH ends of the floor is amazing.”

When asked if he’s going into the Hall of Fame as a member of the Magic or the Lakers, Howard had a uniquely Dwight response:

“I think I’m going into the Hall of Fame as DH12. The basketball player, the philanthropist, the dominant big… that’s DH12 going into the Hall of Fame!”

Howard is undoubtedly deserving of this honor, cementing himself as a legend with his defensive acumen and the 2020 title to wrap it all up. While he’s not going into as a member of the Magic or the Lakers, his time with L.A. will never be forgotten in franchise lore.

Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal among presenters for Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard has had a rivalry with Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal over the years. They recently squashed their beef, however, and now O’Neal has agreed to be one of Howard’s presenters when he is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.