I haven’t retired yet, but…” Dwight Howard expresses his emotions about being nominated for the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Dwight Howard, the former Orlando Magic superstar center, was nominated for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Thursday. The announcement was a major milestone in Howard’s career, and he responded with gratitude while humorously noting that he hasn’t officially retired yet. He also expressed his hope that he won’t be overlooked, referencing his snubbing from the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

Howard, who was drafted in 2004, played 18 seasons with seven different NBA teams. He earned eight All-Star selections and was a dominant defensive presence during his prime, winning three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2009 to 2011, along with five NBA All-Defensive Team honors. He also contributed to an NBA championship with the LA Lakers in 2020.

After his last NBA season in 2021-22, Howard took his talents overseas, most recently playing for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 League. With his Hall of Fame nomination now official, Howard will wait until February 14, 2025, when the finalists will be announced at NBA All-Star Weekend, to learn if he will be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame. Given his impressive career achievements, including his dominant stats across 1,242 regular-season games (15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks per game), Howard’s chances of making the Hall of Fame cut appear strong.