Dwight Howard took another swing at the NBA, reflecting on his turbulent exit from the league. Just days ago, he shared a post celebrating his championship win with Taiwan’s Taoyuan Leopards, subtly criticizing the NBA. This time, Howard aired his grievances more explicitly on his podcast, ‘Above The Rim with DH 12,’ with co-panelists DeMarcus Cousins and Quinn Cook, sparking intrigue about his departure from the NBA.

During the podcast, Howard was candid about his frustrations during his 2022 free agency. When asked what was on his mind, he admitted, “At that time I was fed up with all the crap and the lies, so I was like, man, I’d rather just go somewhere and hoop ’cause it’s just too many lies.”

Delving deeper, Howard shared the sacrifices he made for nearly two decades to maintain his fitness and career, often at the expense of family time. “I can’t even do stuff with my kids ’cause I’m making sure I’m in the gym, making sure I’m straight,” he said, highlighting the personal cost of his professional commitment. Despite his efforts, the lack of transparency and honesty from NBA teams was the final straw, pushing him to seek a new path overseas.

Interestingly, Howard recounted an offer from the Brooklyn Nets during his free agency—a 10-day training contract with the possibility of extension. However, he humorously recalled why he declined, saying, “Yeah, ’cause I thought about it.” This decision led him to Taiwan, where he found a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Choosing Taiwan turned out to be a pivotal move for Howard. He became a co-owner of the Taoyuan Leopards and later, The Asian Tournament (TAT). His success continued as he was nominated as a T1 League All-Star in 2023 and recently clinched a championship with the Mustangs.

Dwight Howard’s triumphant return and unfiltered NBA critique

On August 4th, Dwight Howard took to his official X account, proudly sharing photos and videos of his first championship win with the Taiwan Mustangs. He captioned it: “Life is a crazy thing look how I got cut from the league now I own a league,” complete with a shrugging emoji, signaling both his triumph and his ongoing frustration with the NBA.

Howard’s journey since leaving the NBA has been nothing short of remarkable. After two seasons away from the league, he joined the Taiwan Mustangs of TAT on May 30, 2024, and quickly made his mark. The 8× All-Star led the team to a perfect 5-0 record, culminating in a victory in the 4th Leg of TAT. Celebrating this achievement, Howard posted, “First Championship as a player/owner many more to come.”

According to Forbes, Howard’s NBA departure wasn’t because of a decline in performance, but rather his controversial reputation. An Eastern Conference executive revealed that Howard’s behavior in Orlando left a lasting negative impression. His treatment of former Magic GM Otis Smith and other league figures created a rift that many never forgave. “There are a lot of guys who are friends with Stan who never forgave Dwight Howard, even if Stan did,” the executive noted.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”