Dwight Howard is now enjoying his time as a productive role player for the Los Angeles Lakers, but there was a time when he was the man for the Orlando Magic. One can only imagine what was going through the Lakers backup center's mind when one of his fans came to the Lakers' game against the Detroit Pistons donning his gear.
The NBA documented the moment and shared it for their Twitter followers to see. After the 106-99 win, Howard took off his game-worn jersey and threw it to the fan who was visibly delighted with what he did.
It may be ancient history and some of the newer fans may not know this, but Dwight Howard used to be considered the best center in the NBA. Drafted first overall by the Magic in 2004, Howard put the Magic on the map. In fact, he reached the 2009 Finals as the centerpiece of a Magic team that featured players such as Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Rashard Lewis.
During his time in Orlando, he averaged 18.4 points, 13 rebounds, 1.5 assists, a steal, and 2.2 blocks every game. He was one of the most unstoppable big men during the early 2010s. However, his departure from the Magic was not a pretty one, and Howard has since bounced around from team to team.
Before starting his second stint with the Lakers, he was widely considered by fans to be a washed-up former star. Fortunately, he managed to rejuvenate his career with the Purple and Gold as an impact player off the bench. He's averaging 7.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks for the Lakers in only 20 minutes of play.
Howard is doing a wonderful job in salvaging his career, and his fans are definitely happy that he's rediscovered his stride.