Dwight Howard set to return to Los Angeles for one last dance
In September 2025, Dwight Howard will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame alongside all-time greats like Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, and Maya Moore. While Howard had been trying for years to make a return to the NBA, nothing came to fruition.
Instead, Howard took his talents overseas to Taiwan, where he showed he still has what it takes to compete at a high level, even if it isn't in the NBA. Presently, according to Chris Haynes, Howard has finalized a deal to play one final season of pro basketball for Ice Cube's Big3 league as part of the LA Riot.
LA Riot, which is coached by another familiar face, Nick Young, was announced as one of the new additions to the Big3 league back in March 2025. Heading into the league's eighth season, they have pivoted to what has been described as a "home market model."
Now, the eight teams competing in the league's million-dollar tournament will represent the eight cities where games will be played. LA Riot is one of the new additions.
The league is set to tip-off its eighth season on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Chicago at the AllState Arena, the home of the Chicago Triplets. In the case of Howard and the LA Riot, the team will play week eight at the Intuit Dome in LA, which will be a homecoming of sorts for Howard, who won a title with the LA Lakers in 2020.
"He's a perfect fit for the league": Big3 founder Ice Cube praises Dwight Howard ahead of upcoming Big3 season
Dwight Howard's departure from the NBA was a decision that was seemingly made for Howard, not by him. After the 2021-22 season, where Howard averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game over an average of 16.2 minutes per game, the former Defensive Player of the Year hit free agency.
Unable to secure a roster spot, he took his talents over to Taiwan. However, he continued to try and earn his way back into the NBA.
Leading up to the 2023-24 season, Dwight Howard spent time with the Golden State Warriors and was optimistic that joining the team would give him an avenue to return to the NBA. Despite that, a return never materialized, bringing an end to Howard's NBA career.
On Wednesday, Big3 founder Ice Cube released a statement about the addition of the former DPOY to the league's stable of players:
"His legacy speaks for itself, and he still has fun playing the game. We all know that Dwight Howard can do more on the basketball court than he was able to show in the NBA. So, it's going to be nice to see him open up his game and show his all-around skills on the court in the BIG3.
Ice Cube also spoke about Howard's commitment to the game:
"He's a perfect fit for the league, not just because of his athleticism and size but also due to our shared desire to grow the game of basketball around the world."
Howard will now join co-captains Jordan Crawford and Elijah Stewart in LA Riot, a team that won the Big3 title in 2023 prior to Nick Young transitioning to a coaching role.