Springfield: Retired NBA superstar Dwight Howard gave Taiwan a special mention as he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Sunday. In his enshrinement speech, the eight-time NBA All-Star thanked players who had inspired him, including Shaquille O’Neal, one of his presenters and a Hall of Famer himself, and reflected on his journey through the sport.
According to Focus Taiwan, Howard emphasized the global connections basketball has allowed him to forge. “Thanks to 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 stated. He also mentioned Taiwan, highlighting his experience of starting a basketball league there.
Howard, known as “Superman,” was the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He played for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 League during the 2022-23 season, where he led the league with an average of 16.2 rebounds, along with 23.2 points and five assists in 20 games. Despite the Leopards not making the playoffs, Howard drew significant attention during his stay, attracting a sellout crowd of 15,000 for his debut and about 160,000 online viewers on the league’s YouTube stream.
In 2024, Howard returned to Taiwan to play for the Taiwan Mustangs in the Asian Tournament. Earlier that year, he disclosed on social media that he owned part of the league and the Mustangs, expressing his hope that the league would enhance Taiwan’s competitiveness in basketball.
Howard was one of eight individual inductees this year. He won an NBA title in 2020, secured five rebounding crowns, and earned two blocks titles. Like Carmelo Anthony, who visited Taiwan in late August, he was honored as a member of the U.S. Olympic “Redeem Team” that clinched gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Howard concluded his speech with a personal message, reflecting on his life and encouraging others to cherish each day. “This is your universe. This is your one song. How do you want your song to sound when people hear it? Will they want to throw it out or run it back? And remember, you only die once, but you live every day,” he conveyed.
