Apr 5, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (39) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

NBA Legend Dwight Howard Remains Loyal to Lakers

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 10:18 PM ET

Dwight Howard is looking forward to the return of the NBA season—and specifically—the return of the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Tuesday night, the Lakers are set to battle it out against the Golden State Warriors to complete the opening slate of the 2025-2026 NBA season.

Ahead of the action, Dwight Howard showed love to the Lakers on Facebook

"Once a Laker Always a Laker #familyties."

Following the defending NBA Champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, taking on the Houston Rockets, the Lakers will look to tip off the first full run of the Luka Doncic era in LA.

Last season, the Lakers entered the year with a core duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Midway through the year, the Lakers engaged in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history as they included Davis in a trade package to acquire Luka from the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic appeared in 28 games for the Lakers last year. Seeing the court for 35 minutes per game, he averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, while shooting 43 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep.

Howard didn’t spend a large chunk of his career with the Lakers, but he remains a big fan of the team he had several stints with throughout his Hall of Fame career.

via @Lakers: Dwight Howard: Champion. Defensive anchor. 8x All-Star. And now: Hall of Famer.

Dwight Howard: Champion. Defensive anchor. 8x All-Star. And now: Hall of Famer. pic.twitter.com/3yNX0w3Aux
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 6, 2025

When the former NBA center parted ways with the Orlando Magic for the first time, he was traded to the Lakers. The first stint with the Lakers would last one season (76 games). Howard landed on the free agency market in 2013, and signed with the Houston Rockets on a four-year deal.

After small stints with the Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and the Washington Wizards, Howard landed back with the Lakers in 2019-2020. He won his one and only NBA Finals with the Lakers that year, which likely plays a major part in Howard’s loyalty to the Lakers.

He went to the Philadelphia 76ers for one season in 2020-2021 before making his way back to the Lakers in 2021-2022. After that 60-game run for Howard, he hasn’t been in the NBA since.

Over three seasons with the Lakers, Howard totaled 205 games of action. He averaged 10.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He started 105 of the 205 games he played in the purple and gold.