Josh Howard

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Lore & Background

Howard's time in Dallas was defined by resilience and clutch performance. In his rookie year (2003–04), he played 67 games, averaging 8.6 points and earning All-Rookie Second Team status. By the 2005–06 season, he posted career highs with 15.6 points per game and a .429 three-point percentage. His defense was vital during the Mavericks' run to the NBA Finals that year; the team held a perfect 23–0 record when Howard scored more than 20 points in a game. A controversial moment occurred in Game 5 of those Finals against the Miami Heat, where referees initially ruled Howard called a timeout during Dwyane Wade's free throws, preventing Dallas from setting up a half-court play. Howard later insisted no timeout was called and that referee Joey Crawford agreed with him.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Josh Howard in Dallas reached its peak in the 2006–07 season. After missing two games early on, he averaged 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds, guiding the Mavericks to a franchise-best 67–15 record. Despite this dominance, he was initially snubbed from All-Star weekend until injuries to Yao Ming and Carlos Boozer opened a spot for him. Hall of Famer Magic Johnson voiced his disapproval, stating, "I've got a problem with it... Josh Howard should be an All-Star. Period." On December 8, 2007, Howard exploded for a career-high 47 points against the Utah Jazz. However, the season also brought personal controversy; in April 2008, he admitted on ESPN Radio to smoking marijuana during the offseason, calling it his "personal choice" while asserting it did not affect his job performance.

Reader's Guide

Howard was drafted by Dallas in 2003 after a standout college career at Wake Forest where he became the ACC Player of the Year. He spent seven seasons with the Mavericks before being traded to the Washington Wizards on February 13, 2010, alongside Drew Gooden, James Singleton, and Quinton Ross for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson. His playing career ended shortly after joining the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2012; he suffered a torn ACL on December 14, which occurred in his final NBA game against the New Orleans Hornets. He recorded just 3 points and 2 rebounds before being waived. After brief stints in the D-League and Summer League, Howard transitioned to coaching, eventually becoming the head coach of the UNT Dallas Trailblazers.

Did You Know?

• Howard was born with bowed legs that had to be broken and reset twice before his second birthday.
• He scored a career-high 47 points against the Utah Jazz on December 8, 2007.
• In the 2006 NBA Finals, Dallas went 23–0 when Howard scored more than 20 points in a game.
• Howard admitted to smoking marijuana during the offseason in a 2008 ESPN Radio interview prior to Game 3 of the Mavericks' first-round series.