Ex-Sixers Big Man Makes Major Career Decision

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When former Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard joined Paul George’s podcast a couple of months ago, he refused to call it a career.
“I have not officially retired yet,” Howard said on ‘Podcast P.’ “I don't know what I'm going to do yet.”
Following Howard’s lone season with the Sixers, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers for a third stint in 2021-2022. That was the last year Howard appeared on an NBA court. While Howard gained some attention from teams out West over the last two years, he never landed another deal.
This week, Howard’s next career move has been revealed. According to Chris Haynes, he’s going to the Big 3 league to play under head coach, Nick Young.
via @ChrisBHaynes: Hall-of-Fame center Dwight Howard will play his final season of pro basketball for @IceCube’s @TheBig3 on Los Angeles Riot squad under head coach Nick Young, sources tell me.
Hall-of-Fame center Dwight Howard will play his final season of pro basketball for @IceCube’s @TheBig3 on Los Angeles Riot squad under head coach Nick Young, sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/4Cj0EqRYqK
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 9, 2025
When Howard played last, he averaged six points and six rebounds for the Lakers. During his lone season with the Sixers, the veteran big man appeared in 69 regular-season games, coming off the bench for all but six of those matchups. The veteran produced six points and six rebounds per game.
In the playoffs, Howard averages five points and six rebounds in 12 games. His postseason run with the Sixers was his last.
It’s shaping up to be a big year for Howard. Not only does he get his final rodeo in a US-based professional league, but he’s also entering the Hall of Fame. Last week, it was revealed that Howard is a first-ballot Hall of Famer in the 2025 class. He enters the Hall with 18 years of NBA experience under his belt and a long list of accolades.
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Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. 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 Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia
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