Sometimes, all it takes is one person—just one voice in the room—to say, ‘I see you,’ when the rest of the world’s already moved on. In the NBA, that kind of recognition can be rare, especially when the league isn’t calling like it used to. But in the BIG3, second chances aren’t just possible—they’re the point. And one former Lakers All-Star found that lifeline in a league owner who’s flipping the script and redefining the game on his own terms.
That former Lakers All-Star? Yep, we’re talking about Dwight Howard. The man spent 18 seasons in the NBA suiting up for 7 teams—including the Magic and Rockets—and left his fingerprints all over the league. He averaged 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds across 1,242 games, made eight All-Star appearances, grabbed three Defensive Player of the Year trophies, and earned a championship ring with the Lakers in 2020. That’s not a résumé you just forget. But somehow, the NBA kind of did. After his last game in the 2021–22 season, Dwight quietly slipped out of the league spotlight—no farewell tour, no big sendoff. Just… gone. And yet, his story didn’t end there.
It showed in a recent Instagram post where Dwight kept it real—sharing a couple of photos with Ice Cube and dropping a heartfelt message. “Happy Birthday & Happy Fathers Day @icecube,” he wrote, “thank you for giving me this opportunity to help do greater things with you .” It wasn’t just a shoutout—it was Dwight acknowledging the man who gave him a new lane, someone who’s become more than a collaborator.
Now, Howard is gearing up for one more run—and this time, it’s in a league that’s rewriting the rules. He officially joined the BIG3’s Los Angeles Riot as the league heads into its first-ever city-based model in 2025. It’s a full-circle moment for Dwight, who shared, “I’m excited to join Ice Cube and the BIG3—especially right after being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Words can’t describe how grateful I am for these opportunities. I can’t wait to join the LA Riot and try to bring another championship to the city of LA.”
Ice Cube, the co-founder and voice behind the BIG3, couldn’t be more pumped. “His legacy speaks for itself, and he still has fun playing the game,” Cube said. “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.” Fans in L.A. won’t want to miss it—The Riot’s lone home game lands August 9 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, one of only four venues in the league’s 2025 touring schedule.
Dwight Howard’s first BIG3 game after leaving the NBA
Dwight Howard’s BIG3 debut was supposed to be a fresh start. Instead? It turned into a full-on circus. Suiting up for the new LA Riot, Howard clashed with Lance Stephenson late in the second half of their season opener against the Miami 305. It started with a routine box-out, but Stephenson elbowed Howard in the chest, and Dwight wasn’t having it. He slapped Lance’s arm away, and the two went from pushing to grappling in seconds. Howard even got Stephenson in a headlock, and the scuffle spilled into the VIP section. Both were tossed. “This is not exactly how I pictured my debut going,” Howard laughed afterward. The game? Miami won 50–44. But no one remembered the score. Everyone was talking about that brawl.
Stephenson didn’t hold back either. On Instagram, he called Howard “outta control” and said, “He had 10 fouls, pushing everybody.” And this wasn’t even his first dust-up of the night—Stephenson also threw a punch after getting smacked in the nose earlier by Jordan Crawford. Still, Ice Cube managed to find the silver lining. “He added some spice to the game,” Cube said. “Welcome to the BIG3.” Even with the drama, Howard had 10 points and seven boards, most of them from the line. “My first time playing, I didn’t understand the physicality… now I can adjust,” he told Forbes.
Howard didn’t leave the NBA quietly—he left fed up. “At that point, I was fed up, I was fed up with all the cap and the lies,” he said on his podcast Above the Rim w/ DH12. After nearly two decades of sacrificing for teams that benched him, he’d had enough. “I’m doing this to sacrifice for the teams to tell me I ain’t going to play or this, that, or the third?” he added. Feeling pushed out by a business-first league, Dwight admitted, “I’ve been depressed plenty of times sitting at the crib.” Now, he’s hooping on his terms—overseas, with family, and full of clarity.
In the end, Dwight Howard’s journey overseas wasn’t just about basketball—it was about reclaiming joy. And he made sure to thank Ice Cube for believing in him when the NBA didn’t.
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