UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Newly inducted Hall of Famer Dwight Howard described his exclusion from the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team as “a big slap in the face,” but said entering the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice in the same year has more than compensated for the disappointment.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year received his Hall of Fame jacket on Sept. 5, 2025, during the Class of 2025 Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala at the Mohegan Sun. Howard was honored individually and as a member of the 2008 U.S. men’s Olympic squad commonly known as the “Redeem Team.”
‘Double-pounded with a blessing’
Speaking to NBA TV, the former Los Angeles Lakers center said the dual induction felt like divine redemption after the 2022 top-75 omission.
“Yes, it hurt,” Howard said. “It was like a big slap in the face to not be on that team. But to go in the Hall of Fame, not only for what I did on my own but also for helping the USA team win a gold medal, and to go in twice in the same year—man, it’s like God said, ‘I’m going to double-pound you with a blessing for being persistent and consistent.’”
Career résumé
Howard, 39, was widely regarded as the dominant interior presence of his era. He captured Defensive Player of the Year honors in three consecutive seasons from 2009 through 2011, earned five All-NBA First Team selections and led the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals.
After stints with several franchises, he returned to the Lakers and contributed to the team’s 2020 championship inside the NBA bubble, securing his first league title.
Reaching common ground with Shaq
The center also confirmed he has settled his long-running public feud with fellow Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, saying he was pleased to mend fences.
The Class of 2025 enshrinement completes a résumé many observers believe already merited inclusion on the league’s 75th Anniversary list. For Howard, the Hall’s validation—and receiving it twice—proved even more meaningful.
Source: Lakers Nation
