'Free Palestine' tweet almost cost ex-NBA star league spot
3 Min Read
Former American basketball star Dwight Howard reveals that the pro-Palestine post almost got him "kicked out of the league for it."
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Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard during an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, on January 13, 2022, in Phoenix (AP)
Former American basketball star Dwight Howard has revealed that he was compelled to delete a pro-Palestine social media post several years ago.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with Ray Daniels on the YouTube show GAUDS, Howard explained the constraints athletes face while in the NBA [National Basketball Association].
"When you’re in the NBA [National Basketball Association], there are a lot of things you want to say, that you could say, but you know if you say them, there will be repercussions and you get into a lot of trouble," he indicated.
Former NBA superstar Dwight Howard accounts for when he tweeted “free Palestine” and got the call from the higher ups to take it down.
— boycat (@boycatapp) January 8, 2025
If you ever wondered how much control they had, here’s even more proof.
Anyways, free Palestine 🍉🇵🇸
Video Podcast by: the gauds show pic.twitter.com/f8RCo8Hdjc
He recounted an incident from his time with the Houston Rockets when he tweeted "Free Palestine". The post, he revealed, almost got him "kicked out of the league for it."
"I was just trying to figure out why.”
Howard explained that the tweet was inspired by interactions with Palestinian fans, who had shared their struggles and asked him to raise awareness about their homeland, which has endured decades of Israeli occupation.
"Me having a big heart, I’m like, ‘you know what, I want people to know the struggles you all are having’ … So, I tweet ‘Free Palestine’. Less than 10 minutes later, I got a call from the NBA commissioner, agents, people in my foundation, and even folks from Texas: ‘you gotta erase this tweet!, you gotta take this down!’ I was like, ‘What did I do that was so bad? Can somebody explain’?"
Howard, an eight-time NBA All-Star, has played for multiple franchises and won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
His announcement comes as "Israel" continues committing genocide in Gaza. On the 460th day of the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave, the Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that the total number of Palestinians killed since the start of the Israeli war on the Strip on October 7, 2023, to 45,885, in addition to 109,196 injuries.
It noted that a number of victims remain under the rubble and on the roads, as ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.
After a short clip from the interview went viral on social media, some users criticized the NBA for continuing to host Israeli basketball teams while consistently silencing voices advocating for Palestinians.
Others shared detailed posts highlighting instances where both current and former NBA players have expressed support for Palestine over the years. Notable mentions included Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair, Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, and Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown.
Read more: American Historical Association condemns Israeli scholasticide in Gaza
