Dwight David Howard II was born in the United States on December 8, 1985. He is a former NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). Aside from his three Defensive Player of the Year awards and NBA championship, he has also been named an astounding eight times to the NBA’s All-Star team, eight times to its All-NBA team, and five times to its All-Defensive team.
Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy was Howard’s high school of choice for his central position. He forewent college to enter the 2004 NBA draught when he was ultimately taken first overall by the Orlando Magic. While with the Magic, Howard established a number of records for both the organization and the league. He guided his squad to the NBA Finals that year.
Some Fascinating Information About the American Professional Basketball Player:
1. Dwight David Howard was born to Sheryl and Dwight Howard Sr. on December 8, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother endured seven miscarriages before he was born, in addition to having his brother Jahaziel and sister Ta Shanda. They said he was a miraculous baby.
2. His mother was on the first-ever Morris Brown College women’s basketball team, and his father is a Georgia State Trooper and the Athletic Director at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.
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3. Howard grew up in the nearby town of Swainsboro before moving to Atlanta in 1998 and enrolling in the eighth grade at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. Around the age of nine, he committed himself fully to the sport of basketball.
4. During his junior year, he started as a power forward for SACA and led the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 20 and 15, respectively. As a senior, he led his team to a 31-2 record and the state championship by averaging 25 points, 18 rebounds, 8.1 blocks, and 3.5 assists per game.
5. Howard has been crowned Mr. Basketball in Georgia after racking up 2,146 points, 1,728 rebounds, and 811 blocks over the course of 129 varsity games during his high school career. Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year, Gatorade National Player of the Year, and the McDonald’s National Player of the Year were just some of the honors he received for being the finest high school player in America.
6. His favorite players were Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Kevin Garnett, a dynamic and agile big man who, like him, decided to skip college and enter the NBA Draft instead.
7. He wore jersey number 12 for the Orlando Magic, in retaliation for Garnett’s number 21 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and was chosen first overall in the 2004 NBA Draft.
8. Howard’s effect was instant, as he quickly became the franchise leader in games, starts, rebounds, and blocks. Third, in the voting for NBA Rookie of the Year, he averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds per game.
9. At the completion of his second season in the NBA, he averaged 15.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 36.8 minutes per contest. In the 2006 NBA Rookie Challenge, he was chosen for the Sophomore Team after ranking second in the league in offensive rebounds, total rebounds, and double-doubles.
10. On April 14, 2007, he scored 35 points in a game against the 76ers, which led to his first and only NBA All-Star selection as a reserve for the Eastern Conference squad. His last season averages were 17.6 points and 12.3 boards.
11. Howard’s outstanding performance in 2007–08 led to the Magic winning their division for the first time in 12 years. His stat line of 20.7 points, 14.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game earned him a starting spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. He also triumphed in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
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12. His 546 first-place votes in 2007–08 earned him a spot on the NBA’s All–NBA First Team for the first time, while his 25 second-place votes earned him a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team. Two times throughout the season he was named “Player of the Week,” and twice in November and December he was named “Player of the Month.”
13. After helping the Magic win their second consecutive Southern Division title in 2008–09, Howard led the NBA Playoffs with 40 points and 14 rebounds in the deciding game against the Cavaliers, and the Magic advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in 14 years.
