Lakers champion and Hall of Famer Dwight Howard makes surprising return to basketball in a bold career move after NAB retirement

Dwight Howard is coming out of retirement, and he's doing it more than 6,000 miles from home. The 40-year-old Hall of Famer has signed with Black Fortress Tbilisi, a club in the country of Georgia, and will join the team when its season opens in October.The signing comes barely six months after Howard announced he was walking away from the sport for good, and less than a week after he turned up in an exhibition game in Mongolia. Contract terms haven't been made public, but the move gives newly promoted Black Fortress an internationally known face for its top-flight debut.Dwight Howard returns to basketball and will play in GeorgiaBlack Fortress confirmed the deal this week, sharing a photo of Dwight Howard in the club's black and orange No. 12 jersey along with the caption "It's official. Signed." The Georgian Super League side earned its spot in the top division after winning the second-tier title, and landing a name like Howard's gives it instant visibility heading into its first season among the country's elite clubs.Howard broke the news himself a little earlier, leaning into the coincidence that he was born in the U.S. state of Georgia and is now headed to the country that shares its name. "Georgia, here I come," he wrote, adding that fans should keep an eye out for what Black Fortress brings to the court once October arrives.Financial details of the contract, including its length, haven't been disclosed by either party.Howard's long, unlikely road since leaving the NBAHoward last played in the league during the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Since then his career has taken him through Taiwan, where he put up big numbers for the Taoyuan Leopards, and to Dubai, where he helped a Philippines-based squad reach the final of an international tournament. He also spent a season in the BIG3 with the Los Angeles Riot.In March, Howard said he was stepping away from the game entirely to spend more time with his family. That decision didn't last through the summer. Earlier this month he posted that he was headed to Asia, then shared photos from Mongolia, where he suited up for the SG Apes in a preseason game just days before the Black Fortress deal was announced.The 40-year-old was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025, capping a career that included eight All-Star selections and five All-NBA nods. He also won three Defensive Player of the Year awards and a championship ring with the Lakers in 2020, his third stint with the franchise.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.