Former Rockets center Dwight Howard inducted into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Another Houston Rockets player was inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this week when former Rockets center Dwight Howard received the honor over the weekend. Howard, who played for the Rockets for three seasons from 2014-2016 and was also on the 2008 Olympic Team, was inducted by Dominique Wilkins, Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing and Robert Parish.

Howard was one of four players with three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and he also won an NBA title in the 2020 season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. He took home five All-NBA First Team Awards, was four times on the All-Defensive First Team, led the NBA in rebounding five times and in blocks twice.

Howard came to the Rockets in the 2013 NBA offseason as a free agent, one of the biggest that then-GM Daryl Morey was able to entice to come to Houston. Howard had a partnership with James Harden, which was good enough to lift the Rockets to postseason contention every season, but they continuously fell short, much like all other Rockets season with Harden in town. The Harden-Howard partnership disintigrated, with Howard refusing to run much pick-and-roll and demanding more paint touches, and Harden insisting on the more efficient threes-and-free-throws style that made him an eventual scoring champion and MVP.

But for his three seasons in Rockets red, Howard averaged 16 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocked shots per game on 60 percent shooting from the field. He played in 71 games in his first and last Houston seasons, while being limited to just 41 games in 2015 due to back and knee issues. But he played extremely well in the 2015 postseason after coming back, and helped lead the Rockets to the Western Conference Finals, where they fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

Howard finished his career playing for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards in addition to the Rockets over his 18-year years in the league. He finished with total averages of 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game on 58.7 percent shooting. He’ll be remembered as one of the best defenders of the modern era, but he lacked the polished offensive game and emotional gumption to lead a team all the way to the title.

Still, he retired with an NBA Championship ring, even if it was as an ancillary piece, and now adds the Hall of Fame to his resume along with that Olympic Gold Medal. He becomes the 14th Rockets player in the Hall. Congrats, Dwight.