Dwight Howard to be inducted into Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

New York Times

07-03-2025

ORLANDO, Fla. — A player who not too long ago was considered persona non grata by Orlando Magic fans because of his acrimonious departure 13 years ago will be welcomed back soon to the team's home arena with open arms.
Dwight Howard, the best player on the franchise's 2008-09 Eastern Conference championship team and Orlando's career leader in total points, rebounds and blocks, will be inducted into the Magic's Hall of Fame later this month, team officials announced Thursday night.
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The announcement was made on social media during the first quarter of the Magic's home game against the Chicago Bulls.
Magic CEO Alex Martins said he believes Howard will receive a warm reception from Magic fans when he's inducted on March 24 and honored that night during the team's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dwight Howard will become the 13th inductee into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame 🪄
Howard will be inducted on Monday, March 24 at 3:45 p.m. in Kia Center, near the Orlando Magic Fan Experience. https://t.co/2tdj5vBKcQ pic.twitter.com/SDPkWN1qvE
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 7, 2025
Martins added that the Magic are not the first team to welcome back a former star player who left on difficult terms. In fact, some previous inductees to the team's Hall of Fame — most notably, Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway — had caustic departures but now are viewed fondly by fans. O'Neal had his number retired by the Magic last year.
'It happens in most every franchise, particularly in those franchises where you have great players who depart on terms that fans are not comfortable with,' Martins said in an interview with The Athletic. 'I believe time heals those wounds, and at the end of the day, after that time has passed, there's an acknowledgment and an appreciation for the talent and the contributions that players make to a franchise during their time (with that franchise).
'And it's my opinion that Magic fans recognize Dwight was a leader on a team that was one of the two best eras in Magic history, the fact that he was on a team — some would say led a team — to the NBA Finals for one of only two times in Magic history. There's a great appreciation for that, and I think although fans see the departure with a sour taste, they look back on the fondness of the memories that were created while he was here and playing and recognize the greatness that there was.'
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During his eight Magic seasons, Howard won three consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and was a first-team All-NBA selection five straight times. At his best, he was so dominant that The Athletic ranked him 56th on its list of the 75 greatest NBA players of all time.
He won the Magic's Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award for community service work six times.
Howard was traded to the Lakers in 2012. The deal followed an acrimonious, public falling-out with team officials. The months-long soap opera captivated the NBA world and demoralized Magic fans. The most memorable moment occurred after a gameday shootaround, when coach Stan Van Gundy, in response to questions, told reporters that Howard wanted him fired.
Then, in a surreal moment, Howard, unaware of what Van Gundy had just said minutes earlier, joined Van Gundy's question-and-answer session with reporters and put an arm around Van Gundy. When Howard was asked about wanting Van Gundy fired, Howard denied it. And, then, he was told what Van Gundy had just said.
Howard's reputation took a massive hit. Howard once recalled, in an interview with ESPN, that the day of the news-conference incident was 'the worst day of my life.'
In subsequent years, fans in Orlando often booed Howard when he returned to Kia Center as an opposing player, but that amount of vitriol receded as time wore on.