Dwight Howard has officially ended his basketball career, but the timing of his retirement seems curious. After earning more than $245 million over nearly two decades in the NBA, the eight-time All-Star now finds himself navigating a potentially costly divorce.
Money Mess
Howard, 40, announced he was stepping away from the game “to pour into my family,” People reports. But just days before that announcement, he filed for divorce from his wife, Amber Rose Howard, also known as Amy Luciani. The two were just married on Jan. 11, 2025. In his filing, dated on March 9, Howard listed the couple’s marriage as “irretrievably broken” and noted there was “no hope of reconciliation.” She was served on March 12.
There was trouble halfway into the marriage. In July 2025 Amber, a rapper and reality television personality, has an estimated net worth of $400,000 to $1.5 million, filed for divorce She was asking for an equitable or 50/50 division of property, which may have included a Georgia mansion and a portion of contracts with brands like Adidas and McDonald’s. She also requested alimony. She later withdrew the petition.
Howard, who has five children with five different women, and Amber share no children.
Howard’s career earnings, which are estimated at $245,142,483, place him among the highest-paid players of his era. That figure doesn’t include endorsements, overseas contracts, and business ventures. His net wealth is estimated to be $140 million.
Complicating matters further are reports that police were called to the couple’s Georgia home multiple times in recent weeks for incidents ranging from a domestic dispute to a theft report. Then came Amber’s now viral social media post in which she accused Dwight of drug abuse. A crying Amber held up a large, clear plastic bag, alluding to it contain cocaine, and blamed the destruction of her marriage on drug usage.
Despite the allegations, Howard’s skill on the court is undeniable. The former No. 1 overall pick built a Hall of Fame career that included three Defensive Player of the Year awards and an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. He was once the face of the Orlando Magic franchise and a cornerstone of the league’s global expansion.
But off the court, Howard has faced many bizarre accusations. There have have been legal filings involving transgender women and gay men. While claims of harassment, cheating, and hush money first surfaced in the public eye in 2018 with Masin Elije, the most recent lawsuit was introduced by Stephen Harper in which he alleged a 2021 incident of sexual assault and false imprisonment involving Howard and another individual presenting as female. Howard’s legal team maintained that the encounter in question was private and consensual, framing the 2023 lawsuit as a money grab. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in August 2024.
