By Kostas Paraskevopoulos / info@eurohoops.net
Despite previously announcing his retirement from professional basketball, Dwight Howard has had a change of heart. The eight-time NBA All-Star is set to return to the court at the age of 40, joining Black Fortress Tbilisi, a team competing in the second tier of Georgian basketball.
Howard announced the move in an Instagram video, revealing that he had decided to continue his career after seeing fans from Georgia calling for him to join their country.
“Georgia, I’ll be on my way! Not my hometown, Atlanta, Georgia, but Tbilisi, Georgia!” Howard said. “I saw all your flags in the comments on my last post and decided that’s where we should take the journey!”
The former NBA superstar added that he had personally read the comments and based his decision on the enthusiasm of fans who wanted him to bring his energy to the country.
“So Superman is officially on the way! You thought the vibes were high before? Just wait until October, when we bring some color to the court with BLACK FORTRESS! Let’s make some noise, Georgia!” he said.
Howard entered the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 Draft, selected by the Orlando Magic. He spent the first part of his career in Orlando before going on to play for several other NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
Across 18 NBA seasons, Howard averaged 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. He established himself as one of the league’s dominant defensive and rebounding forces during his prime, earning eight consecutive All-Star selections from 2007 through 2014.
His career also reached its ultimate individual honor in 2025, when Howard was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.
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