Dwight Howard took out a full-page ad in Sunday's edition of the Orlando Sentinel three weeks after being traded by the Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"To play the game of basketball in the NBA is a blessing and to have had the opportunity to play before the Orlando fans for eight years was truly a privilege and an honor," Howard wrote in the ad.

"Words cannot express the love that I have for Orlando. With your support we have done great things in this city from hanging banners to impacting our youth."

Howard is seen in the ad in several photographs with fans and at charity events.

"Although my career with the Magic has come to a close, my love for the city and the people that make it beautiful will never end," wrote Howard.

When Howard opted into his contract with the Magic for the 12-13 season back in March, he expressed his love for the city of Orlando.

"My soul and everything I have is in Orlando," Howard told RealGM's Jarrod Rudolph. "I just can't leave it behind.. 

"The fans deserve a better hero and I will make that happen. I love and appreciate my fans and this city."