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Former NBA star Dwight Howard says 'Free Palestine' tweet nearly got him fired

Former NBA star Dwight Howard recently shared a revealing anecdote about a 2014 tweet that almost killed the NBA champion's career.

In an interview on the Gauds show with Ray Daniels on Monday, Howard talked about the intense fallout he experienced almost as soon as his tweet went live. 

"When you're in the NBA, there are a lot of things you want to say - things you could say - but you know if you say them, there will be repercussions. You can get in a lot of trouble," Howard said in the interview.

"A couple of years ago, when I played for the Houston Rockets, I tweeted 'Free Palestine' and I almost got kicked out of the league for it. I was trying to figure out why, you know what I’m saying?"

In the interview, Howard describes a 2014 visit to a Houston movie theatre where he was approached by a group of Palestinian fans. They expressed their admiration and asked to watch the film with him. Known for his frequent interactions with fans, Howard says he agreed warmly.

Read more: Former NBA star Dwight Howard says 'Free Palestine' tweet nearly got him fired