Dwight Howard has been a lot more introspective and considering of his legacy in recent years.
In one week, he will enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. That has forced him to look back at his career. It has included a reconciliation with one of the game's all-time best players in Shaquille O'Neal, after O'Neal (at times gleefully) made himself one of Dwight Howard's harshest critics.
A long time has passed since Howard was flying around and blocking shots left and right in Orlando while wearing an Orlando Magic uniform. But even returns to Orlando, the city where he grew up as a player and established that Hall of Fame career, have been spotty.
There are still a lot of bad feelings about Howard's departure from Orlando. Those have begun to soften.
Howard returned to Orlando to be inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame earlier this year. He received a rousing ovation for that moment as he finally returned home.
On Sunday, he got the chance to play one more time in the city that made his basketball career. He was the star attraction for the Big3's summer finale, playing in the league's All-Star Game, leading his team to the win and winning the game's MVP.
He got the loudest cheers when he was introduced for the game and every dunk was punctuated by the familiar sound of John Williams' Superman score. As this league has done throughout the summer, it was a chance to turn back the clock.
It was a chance for Howard to feel the love in his basketball home once again. It clearly meant a lot to him.
"It’s always great to be home in Orlando," Howard said after the game. "To play in the All-Star Game and be here with the Big 3 is amazing. I love Ice Cube and what he has been doing for the last three years. I’m grateful and thankful to be a part of it and looking forward to next year."
A big part of the reason the Big3, the 3-on-3 summer league filled with recently retired players that has been barnstorming around the country for the last eight summers, made its way to Orlando for the first time was the commitment from one of its biggest stars.
Howard gave the league plenty more credibility in joining the circuit for the first time after he was named a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Howard's presence made Orlando an easy spot to play one of the league's weekend games.
That they chose the championship game and a week before Howard was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame made the weekend all the more special.
Howard's NBA days are behind him, but he was still able to play one last time in front of his home fans in Orlando. That meant something and mattered.
Part of the Big3's purpose is to give players like Howard, who still want to play and play in front of their fans, a place to play. It is a looser environment and players are much closer to the fans in the fast-paced 3-on-3 game to 50.
Howard last played in Orlando on Jan. 21, 2022 while he played his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. There may not have been any more opportunities for him to play in Orlando.
Orlando Magic fans may not really see Howard in person again until his potential jersey retirement or if he comes in for a playoff series -- as he did during Game 6 of the 2024 series with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Howard's playing days are long done. But he got one more chance to play in front of his home crowd through the Big3. It certainly seemed to mean a lot to him.