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Ex-Sixers Center Makes Hall of Fame Request

Dwight Howard mentions three NBA legends as he requests guests for his Hall of Fame induction.

Justin Grasso

Jun 8, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard (39) reacts after scoring against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter in game two of the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Jun 8, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard (39) reacts after scoring against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter in game two of the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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This year, former Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard is set to enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Howard’s status as a first-ballot Hoops Hall of Famer was revealed on Friday night, according to a report from ESPN.

Shortly after the news went public, Howard took to social media to make a request for when the big day for his official induction arrives.

via @DwightHoward: I want KG , Shaq, and Kareem to walk me out 🙏🏾 #hof

Howard requests that three NBA legends represent him on the stage. It’s easy to see why Kavin Garnett, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are inspirations to the former two-way standout.

Howard hasn’t officially called it a career, but he hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021-2022. His final run included a year with the Los Angeles Lakers. Howard appeared in 60 games, averaging six points and six rebounds.

During his second-to-last run in the NBA, Howard spent a season with the Sixers. Playing mostly as Joel Embiid’s backup throughout the year under the former Sixers head coach, Doc Rivers, Howard appeared in 69 games, averaging 17 minutes on the floor. He produced seven points per game and came down with eight rebounds per game.

Although the Sixers employed Howard during a much different time in his career, the former No. 1 pick earned a lot of support throughout his time in Philadelphia. Prior to landing in Philly, Howard dominated for the Orlando Magic across eight seasons. He had a strong run with the Houston Rockets and was an All-Star during one of his three stints in LA as well.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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