Fourteen years ago today, on Aug. 10, 2012, the Orlando Magic traded star center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. The four-team transaction marked a turning point for one of the NBA's dominant big men.
Howard spent his first eight NBA seasons with the Magic. Orlando selected him first overall in the 2004 NBA draft after he chose to skip college.
During his time in Orlando, Howard built numerous franchise and league records. He led the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals, cementing his status as a premier player.
His accolades with the Magic include eight All-Star selections and eight All-NBA Team honors. Howard also earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards and five All-Defensive Team selections.
His departure from Orlando followed contract disputes. The August 2012 trade moved him to Los Angeles after a period of intense speculation.
He played three separate one-year stints with the Lakers during his career and secured an NBA championship with the team in 2020.
Beyond Orlando and Los Angeles, Howard's career included stops with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
After the 2021-22 NBA season, Howard moved overseas, signing with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League. He was named a T1 All-Star in his single season with the team.
Howard's path to the NBA began at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, where he led his team to a 31-2 record and the 2004 state title as a senior. He averaged 25 points, 18 rebounds, 8.1 blocks and 3.5 assists per game that season and earned the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award among other honors recognizing him as the top American high school basketball player.
Howard's legacy will soon be formally recognized. He was elected to the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame twice—as an individual player and as a member of the Redeem Team.
