Dwight Howard reveals NBA commissioner clamped down his “Free Palestine” message

Former NBA center Dwight Howard, renowned for both his dominant defensive skills and off-court controversies, recently revealed an incident where the league pressured him to retract a “Free Palestine” message during his tenure with the Houston Rockets (2013–2016), which coincided with Adam Silver’s early years as NBA commissioner.

In an appearance on “The Gauds Show,” Howard shared that he was forced by Silver and his agents to apologize for a tweet supporting Palestine in 2014.

“When you're in the NBA, it's a lot of things that you want to say, that you could say, but you know if you say it, there's going to be repercussions. You can get in a lot of trouble. For example, a couple years ago when I played for the Houston Rockets, I tweeted ‘Free Palestine,’” Howard said in the episode.

“And I got, I (almost) even got kicked out the league for it. And I'm like trying to figure out why, you know what I'm saying?”

Dwight Howard said the tweet stemmed from an encounter with Palestinians he met at the movies in Houston, who asked him to help raise awareness about their struggles.

“So, you know, me having a big heart, I'm like, ‘Yes.’ I'm like, ‘You know what? I want people to know … the struggles y'all having.’ You know, I don't think it's wrong. So I tweet Free Palestine.”

“Less than 10 minutes after I tweet that, I get a call from the commissioner of the NBA, agents, people working with my foundation at the time … ‘You got to erase this tweet. You got to take this down.’”

Dwight Howard's initial tweet was swiftly followed by a retraction. Following the deletion of the tweet, Howard posted the following, according to Vox:

“previous tweet was a mistake. I have never commented on international politics and never will.”

“I apologize if I offended anyone with my previous tweet, it was a mistake!"

Dwight Howard criticizes NBA’s censorship

Dwight Howard lamented the pressure NBA players face to stay silent on controversial topics, noting that speaking out could jeopardize their careers.

“So now it's like, I got to stand on what I believe and how I feel and not go back on it. And when you're in the league, you be in that place where if I say too much, if I say something, I may not get a job no more,” he said.

“I got to hold my tongue and that's so hard to do when you are faced with so many situations. You have things going on that may be off outside the court.”

Howard’s NBA career has been a rollercoaster, defined by defensive brilliance and frequent off-court controversies. Despite his accolades, he remains one of the most underrated players in NBA history.

As a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (2009–2011), Howard cemented his legacy as one of the greatest defensive players. His resume includes eight All-NBA team selections, four top-five MVP finishes and a pivotal role in leading the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009 and the Lakers’ championship in 2020.

However, Howard’s reputation has been clouded by controversies, and he was notably omitted from the NBA’s Top 75 list in 2021, sparking debate. Critics questioned how players like Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard made the list despite having less decorated careers.

Dwight Howard's last NBA appearance came with the LA Lakers during the 2021–22 season, where he averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Afterward, he played professionally in Taiwan.