TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — During his Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech on Sunday, retired NBA star Dwight Howard thanked Taiwan for his experiences and ventures in the country.
In a speech lasting more than 13 minutes, Howard cited both living and deceased NBA legends as inspirations for his success, per FTV Sports. This included his four presenters: Patrick Ewing, Robert Parish, Dominique Wilkins, and Shaquille O'Neal.
Howard announced the end of a long-simmering feud with O'Neal by saying, “We did not always see eye to eye, but in hindsight, I believe it was just sibling rivalries.” In 2022, O'Neal had mocked Howard for playing against a lower level of competition in Taiwan's T1 League, which Howard quickly defended.
The former center said that because of basketball, “I've been able to see the world at a whole different angle. This sport has changed my reality, and it's opened up doors, allowing me to make connections globally.” He then drew attention to Taiwan: “Shout out to Taiwan, even to the point of starting my own basketball league.”
In the 2022-23 season, Howard played for the T1 League's Taoyuan Leopards, appearing in 20 games and averaging 23.2 points, 16.2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. He was named rebounding champion, to the All-Defensive First Team, and Foreign Player of the Year.
Howard returned to Taiwan in 2024 to play for the Taiwan Mustangs in a new league called The Asian Tournament. He was joined by ex-Laker teammates DeMarcus Cousins and Quinn Cook.
He was also honored as a member of the US Olympic “Redeem Team” that recaptured gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. That evening's fellow Hall of Fame inductee, Carmelo Anthony, was also a member of that squad.