National Basketball Association’s (NBA) eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year awardee, Dwight Howard, eyes the Philippines as his next destination following his brief T1 League (Taiwan) stint under the Taoyuan Leopards.
Howard joins Converge FiberXers’ executive Jacob Lao’s Strong Group in the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship this January 19 to 28, 2024, together with Gilas Pilipinas’ naturalized option Andray Blatche and former Oklahoma City Thunder wing Andre Roberson.
Eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard is signing a contract to continue his basketball career abroad, details here: pic.twitter.com/U3KeDWUynL
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 2, 2024
X/Twitter: @ShamsCharania
The Philippines marks the 2021 NBA Champion’s second foreign destination to “stay in shape and visit a foreign market to play globally,” according to Senior lead NBA Insider for The Athletic and Stadium, Shams Charania. As the 6’ 10” center nears the tail end of his playing career, he continues to show interest in returning to the league, training with the Golden State Warriors during their 2023-24 pre-season preparations.
Howard is recognized for his defensive prowess around the rim as the star of a youthful Orlando Magic squad in the late 00s as he last saw action in the Los Angeles Lakers’ purple-gold threads during their successful 2021-2022 “bubble” season, averaging 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, in 16.2 minutes per contest.
