Dwight David Howard II is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League.
He was born on December 8, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Dwight Sr. and Sheryl Howard, a family with strong athletic connections.
His father is a Georgia State Trooper and is the athletic director at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, a private academy with one of the country’s best high school basketball programs; his mother played on the inaugural women’s basketball team at Morris Brown College.
Howard began his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2004, when he was drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic.
He played for several teams throughout his career, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Atlanta Hawks.
Howard has been named to the All-NBA First Team five times, the All-Defensive First Team five times, and has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award three times.
He won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020.
In July 2021, allegations of sexual assault, battery, and false imprisonment were filed against Howard in Georgia.
Howard has denied the allegations and asked a court to dismiss the civil lawsuit he is facing.
Is Dwight Howard gay?
There are conflicting reports about Howard’s sexuality.
Some sources claim that he has admitted to being gay in response to a lawsuit alleging sexual assault by a man he met on social media.
However, other sources report that he has denied the allegations and stated that the sexual activity was consensual.
It is important to note that sexual orientation is a personal matter and should be respected regardless of whether or not it is publicly disclosed.
Dwight Howard lawsuit
The lawsuit against Howard was filed by a man named Stephen Harper in July 2023.
Harper alleges that Howard sexually assaulted him at Howard’s home in the Atlanta suburbs in July 2021 after they met on Instagram.
He claims that Howard asked if another man or woman could join their planned sexual encounter, and once at Howard’s home, they were joined by a man dressed as a woman who identified only as Kitty.
Harper says he tried to resist the two men, but Howard and Kitty forced him to participate in sexual activity.
He alleges that he was trapped in Howard’s bedroom and believed that he would suffer imminent bodily harm if he resisted Howard’s sexual advances.
Harper’s lawsuit alleges assault and battery, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Dwight Howard’s response to the lawsuit
Howard has denied the sexual assault allegations made against him by Harper in a civil lawsuit filed in Georgia in July 2021.
In court documents obtained by ESPN, Howard stated that he engaged in “consensual sexual activity” with Harper during a July 2021 encounter at Howard’s Georgia residence and denied causing any injury to Harper.
Howard also denied the allegations of intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment made by Harper in the original complaint filed in July.
Harper’s attorney, Olga Izmaylova, told ESPN that they fully anticipated Howard to raise the issue of consent in his answer, adding that Harper did not consent.
One of Howard’s attorneys, Justin Bailey, said in a statement that “what was a private consensual encounter was made public for profit and Mr. Howard looks forward to bringing the truth to light in a court of law” and that “the allegations against Mr. Howard are contested.”
Dwight Howard career
Howard was drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in 2004.
During his rookie season, he was sparsely used offensively and mostly scored off of put backs and offensive rebounds.
However, he quickly became known for his rebounding abilities, which he is still recognized for today.
Howard has been an eight-time All-Star, an eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
He has also been a member of the All-NBA first team five years in a row.
Howard has played for several teams throughout his career, including the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
He has faced some challenges throughout his career, including injuries and criticism from fans and media.
Howard has also been booed by fans in Orlando and Los Angeles.
His game has evolved over time.
He has worked to strengthen his body and improve his offensive skills, and he has become one of the most dominant and marketable players in the league.
Despite some challenges, Howard has had a successful career in the NBA, earning recognition for his rebounding abilities and defensive skills.
