NEED TO KNOW
-
Dwight Howard and Lance Stephenson, both former NBA stars, were involved in a brawl during a Big3 game
-
Both players were ejected from the season opener after the scuffle occurred
-
Stephenson said in an Instagram comment after the game that Howard “was outta control” on the court
Former NBA stars Dwight Howard and Lance Stephenson got into a wild brawl during their debuts in the Big3 League over the weekend.
Howard, 39, and Stephenson, 34, were both ejected from the season opener after their scuffle spilled into the crowd at the Allstate Arena in Chicago on Saturday, June 14.
In a video of the incident, Howard, playing for the LA Riot, and Stephenson, who plays for the Miami 305, are seen in a tense conversation before Howard shoved his opponent’s arm late in the second half. Stephenson then leans into Howard, who puts him in a headlock before the athletes begin ruthlessly shoving each other into the fan seats at the stadium.
Game officials and coaching staff from both teams appeared to attempt to break up the brawl, but Howard and Stephenson kept their tussle going as fans filmed and fled.
Gene Wang/Getty
Dwight Howard plays in Taiwan on Feb. 19, 2023
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Before his dispute with Howard, who recently appeared on Fox’s intense series Special Forces, Stephenson was involved in an incident with Riot player Jordan Crawford earlier in the game on Saturday. Crawford, 36, raised his hand and hit Stephenson in the face, prompting a scuffle before officials separated the two.
After the game, Stephenson took to social media, where he slammed Howard’s behavior throughout the game. “He had 10 fouls, pushing everybody, he was outta control,” Stephenson wrote in a comment on Instagram, according to a screenshot shared by BallIsLife.com.
In another comment on Instagram, Stephenson wrote, “They was playing real physical out there so these ain’t no antic. This is what getting after it look like. Great team win 🔥.”
The Miami 305 defeated the LA Riot 50-44 in the game. Stephenson scored 16 points with three rebounds and an assist, while Howard had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty
Lance Stephenson plays for the Iowa Wolves on March 5, 2024
The Big3 is a three-on-three league comprised of former NBA players and international players. The 12-team league was founded by Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz.
In 2023, Howard made headlines for another wild brawl during a game in Taiwan when he played for the Taoyuan Leopards. He and 11 other players were ejected from the game in what Taiwan News said was considered “the biggest” fight in the league’s two-year history at the time.
The outlet reported that the incident delayed the game for approximately 20 minutes as referees reviewed the footage.
Howard, who played for seven different NBA teams over the course of his 18 years in the league, last played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021-2022 season. He won the NBA Championship with the team in 2020.
Read the original article on People
