Dwight Howard plays basketball for the United States which gave him attention since he was a high school student.
He fulfilled his dream by forgoing four university years and making a beeline for the NBA.
The Orlando Magic took Dwight Howard with the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
The squad desperately needed a hero after they’d been off recently. Among Howard’s many accomplishments, which he accomplished in his rookie year, he became the first player in NBA history to start every game of the regular season.
He is the youngest player to ever average ten rebounds in a season, and the youngest player to ever average a double-double during the regular season.
The NBA selected him to the All-Rookie First Team. From 2012–2013, he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
After that, he played for the Orlando Magic, the Rockets, the Hornets, the Wizards, the Lakers, the 76ers, and the Lakers again all through 2022.
When it comes to NBA MVPs, Dwight Howard is right up there with the best of them.
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Dwight Howard Biography
He was born December 8th, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia. His dad and mom are both substantial basketball fans and players.
Dwight Howard was up in a Christian home and played basketball competitively. He had great success as a power forward as a high school player.
After some time, he was named the nation’s top high school basketball player, and a professional NBA career looked inevitable.
At the tender age of nine, he decided that he would one day be the first overall pick in the NBA draft, and he set out to make that dream a reality.
He received numerous athletic accolades during his senior year of high school, including the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award.
He received the McDonald’s National High School Player of the Year Award. He was named the Best American High School Basketball Player by various publications.
Howard Career
Howard forwent his college years in favor of a career in the NBA due to his high school reputation as a promising young star.
In 2004, he became a member of the Orlando Magic, a team that desperately needed a spark, after being selected.
Howard was a huge help in his first season since he was precisely what they needed. He was named to the All-Rookie Team when the season ended.
After gaining 20 pounds of muscle in his sophomore year, Dwight was a much more formidable opponent.
READ MORE – Dwight Howard Kids: Family Secrets, Facts!
As a result of their struggles, though, the Magic did not advance to the playoffs.
Nevertheless, he took over as the team’s unofficial leader the next season and guided the Magic to the postseason, where Detroit defeated them in the opening round.
After beating the Detroit Pistons in the slam dunk contest in 2008, Howard and the Pistons met again in the playoffs’ second round.
Once again, the Magic were defeated. Howard had played in more than 350 consecutive games since beginning his NBA career until he hurt his knee in the 2008–2009 season, which resulted in his first missed game.
The Magic enjoyed their most exciting season in years upon his return, going to the NBA Finals before falling to the Lakers.
Over the subsequent seasons, Dwight kept improving, eventually becoming an indispensable element of the Magic and setting many personal records.
On the other hand, Howard had finally had enough of the team by the 2011–2012 season and wanted out via trade.
He came right out and said he didn’t think the Magic could challenge for the championship.
Regardless, he committed to playing for another year until his situation changed, and the Lakers traded for him.
After suffering a terrible back injury, Dwight was still in the midst of his recovery when he signed with the Lakers.
This became a prominent motif throughout his tenure with the Lakers, as he consistently showed reluctance in his play.
Eventually 2013, he became a free agent when supporters booed him. He inked a deal with the Rockets the same year.
Dwight and James Harden were a great combination, while Dwight was a Rocket. Howard was a first-round playoff elimination in his rookie season with the Rockets.
His troublesome injury history resumed the following season when he sat out a month of action due to knee problems.
He made yet another shift in 2016, joining the Hawks of Atlanta. After playing with them for a year, he transferred to the Charlotte Hornets.
Again, it was for just one season; by 2018, he was a Wizard. He triumphantly returned to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019 and participated in the 2019–2020 season.
Dwight Howard Wife
Five children have been born to Dwight Howard from his relationships with five different women.
He sued Royce Reed, the mother of one of his children, for slander in 2010.
After an investigation, it was found that Reed had broken a court order forbidding her from speaking publicly about Howard.
Her appearance on Basketball Wives made their relationship public knowledge, and she also made derogatory remarks about Dwight on Twitter.
Consequently, Reed was subject to a $500 fine for any public reference of Howard.
Additional difficulties arose in 2014 when Howard was accused of abusing a kid. According to the results of the investigation, Dwight belted his kid.
He said he didn’t know any better because this was his method of discipline as a child. In the end, Howard was not prosecuted.
Dwight Howard Net Worth
At his height, Dwight Howard’s annual income was over $30 million, not including endorsement deals or salaries.
He turned down a five-year, $118 million contract from the Los Angeles Lakers in favor of an agreement with the Houston Rockets in 2013.
He became a free agency in 2016 and signed with the Atlanta Hawks after turning down a $23 million deal with the Houston Rockets.
A seven-year, $23 million salary guarantee was extended to Dwight by the Hawks.
According to reports from 2018, his total earnings during his career exceeded $190 million in pay.
To get out of his guaranteed $5.6 million salary, Dwight Howard gave up $2.6 million in 2019.
Thanks to this, Howard could reach an agreement with the Lakers and sign with them.
Shortly after that, he was extended an unusual contract by the Lakers, which would see him paid $14,490 for every day he was formally listed on the team’s roster.
The Lakers wanted to protect their investment from harm, so they did this.
Furthermore, under the terms of the agreement, the maximum liability for the Lakers in the event of an injury to Howard before the start of the season was $6,000.
Dwight Howard made $247 million in salary during his time in the NBA. Additionally, he made about $100 million from endorsements.
