Has Dwight Howard’s desire to return to the NBA died out? Only weeks ago, he appealed to the LA Lakers owner, “Jeanie, give me one more chance.” He might have downplayed his desire with a humorous approach, but if you follow D12, you’d know about his repeated attempts to return to the league. And given today’s NBA earnings, any player with some basketball left in him would want to give another shot. But the millions of dollars do not appeal to the 3x DPOY for one simple reason, he revealed on KG Certified.

The discussion on the podcast emerged with Kevin Garnett pointing out how players nowadays land 300 to 400 million dollars in deals. KG then asked if Howard now looks back and wants to be back. From D12’s dunk at the start of the podcast, KG also pointed out that the 3xDPOY can still play. “I could. But, man, to be honest, I remember when me and you talked, you said one other thing after we got into it. You said, ‘you still want to be able to move around and walk for your kids,'” Howard said.

D12 mentioned he is always thinking about what Kevin Garnett told him, especially because he wants to be able to hoop with his son whenever he wants. “I don’t wanna be dog on trying to hoop my son, and my knees look like Kenny… No offense, Kenny. I love you, dawg. I got you,” he added. A lot may have noticed it, but only a few know the truth behind Smith’s problematic knees.

The 2x NBA champ revealed the tragic incident in his memoir, “Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me.” Smith revealed how he broke the growth plate in his knee and dislodged it inside the knee joint. Following the injury, however, Smith showed exceptional commitment. Not only overcoming his injury but changing his style of play. Thus, he draws interest from multiple college evaluators and moves ahead with his NBA dream.

But Dwight Howard does not want to take any chances with his body at this age, which leads to knee issues like Kenny’s. Again, he means no offense to the two-time NBA champ, but he is just focusing on what matters most—his kids. Dwight is the proud dad of five: Braylon, Dwight Jr., David, Layla, and Jayde.

After dedicating nearly his entire life to basketball, he wants to give his children the same energy he poured into the game so that the next generation can excel. “It doesn’t even have to be basketball,” Dwight said. “I just want to be there for them, to help them become something great.”

If you’re wondering how committed Dwight is to his role as a dad, consider this: When David’s mother tragically passed away in 2020, Dwight stepped up as the primary caregiver for his youngest son. He, however, has shown enough affection to all of his children on different occasions. No wonder he is ready to give up his long-held dream of returning to the NBA for them.

Dwight Howard’s unfilled desire of ending his NBA career from where it all began

Have you ever thought about where you’d want to finish your journey if you had the choice? For Howard, the answer is simple—back where it all started—with the Orlando Magic. On an episode of The OGs Podcast, the 8x All-Star opened up about his dream to wrap up his NBA career in Orlando, saying, “If I could go back with a team, I gotta go back with the Magic. It’s only right.”

This doesn’t come as a surprise for those who watched D12 dominate in Orlando from 2004 to 2012. Remember those thunderous dunks, game-changing blocks, and how he carried the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals? But as magical as his time in Orlando was, his exit in 2012 wasn’t the storybook ending fans might have hoped for.

His reported tensions with coach Stan Van Gundy led to a trade to the Lakers, where he famously clashed with Kobe Bryant. Then came stops in Houston, Atlanta, and beyond, where he struggled to recapture his peak form. However, through his NBA journey, he earned enough accolades and awards, including a championship. So, it may not be the worst idea for Dwight Howard to give his NBA desire a rest finally. And he wants to focus on the next generation, as he said on KG Certified.