Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Superman has been seen for the last time soaring above NBA rims.  At least in the dunk contest.

“I’m retired for life,” Orlando center Dwight Howard said in an interview with FanHouse on Monday about how he won’t ever again compete in the NBA dunk contest during All-Star Weekend.

Howard won the event in 2008 in New Orleans with a variety of innovative dunks, including one in which he donned a Superman cape. He finished second in Phoenix in 2009 to Nate Robinsonbefore electing not to compete last season.

He won’t be competing Feb. 19 in Los Angeles during All-Star Weekend nor ever again.

“I don’t want to do it,” Howard, 25, said after theMagic practiced at the Pepsi Center on Monday in preparation for Tuesday’s game against Denver. “I want to let other people have an opportunity to shine. I (have done) the dunk contest too many times. I’m over with it.”

Howard also competed in the 2007 event in Las Vegas. He didn’t advance to the final round despite a dunk he made after putting a sticker on the top of the backboard, 2 ½ feet above the rim.

“I do too much running and jumping during the season,” Howard said of the extra wear and tear of competing in the contest. “By the time the dunk contest comes around, my legs are as beat as anything.”

Howard didn’t deny there’s pressure in competing in the contest due to expectations to continue to raise the creative bar on his dunks.

“Yeah,” said Howard, agreeing there’s pressure. “Some people say it’s pressure that I don’t do it. But I really don’t want to do it anymore.”

And he won’t.

Written by Chris Tomasson