Dwight Howard and Lance Stephenson Come to Blows in BIG3 Game—Fight Spills into Media Row [Video]

The 2025 BIG3 season tipped off with drama as Dwight Howard and Lance Stephenson were both ejected following a heated altercation that spilled into the media section.

Video

The fight broke out after Stephenson elbowed Howard, leading to a physical back-and-forth. “He put an elbow in my chest,” Howard said, while Stephenson raised his fist before Howard swatted it away. The game between Stephenson’s Miami team and Howard’s Los Angeles squad ended 50-44, but both stars had already left the court by then.

Earlier, Stephenson clashed with Jordan Crawford after Crawford raised a hand in his face and grazed his nose. Stephenson reacted with a punch, but neither was ejected from that incident.

This was the first BIG3 appearance for both Howard and Stephenson, who together played 31 seasons in the NBA. Howard, a former NBA champ and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, starred with the Magic and Lakers. Stephenson, best known for multiple runs with the Pacers, ended his NBA career in 2022.