Dwight Howard was one of the more notable names left off the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team this year, but he wasn't surprised by the snub.
In an interview with Tyler R. Tynes of GQ, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year explained how he often feels overlooked by the NBA and the media.
"I think that what I have done in my career, there's no way it cannot be recognized. It was upsetting at first, but I didn't take it too seriously," Howard said of not making the anniversary team. "I felt before that I wasn't gonna be on it because it felt like (the NBA) was trying to phase me out. People think I'm trying to blame the NBA for certain things, but I look at how certain things have happened in my career and I know some of these things are not on me. I've watched how I rarely get talked about when they mention (the Lakers). It's like I'm an afterthought. Like, damn.
"I've been in the league a long time. I've made an impact on every team I've been on - on and off the court - and it never gets recognized."
Howard pointed to his Los Angeles Lakers teammate Rajon Rondo as another player he believes doesn't get enough recognization.
"I look at when ESPN highlights the Lakers. Obviously, they're gonna show LeBron and Anthony Davis, or Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook. And me and Rajon Rondo are left out like we haven't done great things in our career. Like we haven't been amazing," he said. "We're always left out of certain things. I try not to look too deep into it, but that shit be the case.
"We've done exceptional things in this league and still are. So while we're playing, we should get some praise for the hard work that we put in. I don't want nobody to kiss my butt or nothin' like that, but appreciation should go a long way, especially when people are alive."
Howard, 35, is in his third stint with the Lakers, rejoining the team in August as a free agent.
