On April 5, the basketball Hall of Fame class of 2025 was announced before the final four college basketball games. The two most notable members of this Hall of Fame class are Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard.
Anthony and Howard have both only been retired for two seasons. The basketball hall of fame changed the rules, which allowed them to be eligible for this class instead of 2026. Both of these players had legendary and fascinating careers. Their unique stories have allowed them to join basketball immortality.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony entered the 2003 NBA draft coming off one of the greatest college seasons ever. Unfortunately, he would get overshadowed by LeBron James and passed up by the Pistons, leading to him being drafted third overall by the Nuggets.
His best season with the Nuggets came in 2009. The regular season didn’t go the way he wanted, as he played just 66 games. In the second round vs. the New Orleans Hornets, he scored 30 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three. This elite performance helped the Nuggets get (at the time) their third WCF appearance. Anthony would request a trade from the Nuggets in 2011.
This trade request led to him being sent to the Knicks. He signed an extension with the Nuggets under the agreement that they would immediately trade him to the Knicks. In 2013, everything would click for Anthony and the Knicks. He would lead the NBA in PPG while the Knicks had the second seed in the east with a 54-28 record. However, the season would end in disappointment with a second-round exit. The Knicks wouldn’t make the playoffs for the rest of Anthony’s time there. This is despite him being named an all-star every season from 2014 to 2017.
In the 2017 offseason, Anthony was traded to the Thunder. This was supposed to create a “big three” of Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Anthony. However, they didn’t work that well together and ended up being a first-round exit. Anthony would spend the rest of his career with the Rockets, Blazers, and Lakers. In 2021, he accepted a bench role and finished seventh in sixth man of the year voting. 2022 would be his final season, and he would retire as a Laker.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard was drafted straight out of high school with the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft. Howard was expected to be a project, one that would develop into one of the best players in the league. In 2009, he would live up to that potential. He finished first in DPOY voting with almost three blocks per game. He was big on offense as well, with 20.6 points per game. He would carry this success into the playoffs, leading the Magic to their second finals appearance.
In the 2012 offseason, Howard’s time in Orlando was ending. The Magic traded him to the Lakers. Despite leading the league in rebounds per game with 12.4, Howard struggled to find a role in the Lakers’ offense, as he had his lowest PPG total since 2007. Howard was on an expiring contract and left for the Rockets after the 2013 season with the Lakers. 2014 with the Rockets would be his last all-star season. Howard saw an increase in his PPG from 2013 to 2014, along with finishing eighth in DPOY voting in 2014.
Howard would leave the Rockets after the 2016 season. Howard and James Harden reportedly had issues with each other. This was right after Howard had publicly had problems with Kobe Byrant. Howard had unfortunately gained the reputation as a “losing” player. He would spend the next three seasons as a “gap year” center on okay teams.
In 2020, he was signed by the Lakers. He would need to take a smaller role on the loaded Lakers. He would finish ninth in sixth man of the year voting and help the Lakers win the 2020 title. This title helped change the narrative around his career. He would play two more seasons before retiring, one with the Sixers and one with the Lakers again.
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Feature Image via Flickr.
