Orlando Magic center Dwight David Howard Jr. is not just a basketball player. He is one of the most charismatic and thus popular basketball player on earth. His muscular physique resembles a 6’11 bronze statue of Apollo. His resume belies his 24 years of age while reading like the first chapter of a sports monopoly. The home grown Atlanta, Georgian has pillared his brand on ferocious dunks and electric smiles.
His exuberance is as vital to fans, setting a new NBA All-Star voting record in his name (3,151,181 – the most votes ever in the history of All-Star) as is his physicality. His statistics are as benevolent as his philanthropy. Simply put, Mr. Howard is the most attractive combination of power and personality the NBA has seen in decades.
After procuring Naismith, Gatorade and McDonalds player of the year honors in high school, Howard decided to forgo college to pursue his lifelong NBA dream. The result: a career’s worth of basketball achievement squeezed into his initial six seasons. Four All-NBA team selections, four All-Star appearances (three starts), consecutive NBA Defensive Player of The Year awards (youngest ever to lead the league in rebounding and blocks) and an Olympic Gold medal. Since his rookie season Dwight has amazingly and consistently averaged a double-double of points and rebounds––accumulating 23 20-and-20 outings and once a pinnacle 32 points 25 rebounds and 10 blocks (largest stat line in 20 years).
Not a single post player today can match Dwight Howard’s dominance. Houston Rockets center and Chinese superstar Yao Ming has failed to near his productivity. Dwight has snatched the torch (and Superman moniker) from the hands of the world’s last grand center, Shaquille O’Neal. The greatest player to ever wear a Rockets uniform, Akeem Olajuwan, showers #12 with praise. New York Knickerbocker legendary center and current Orlando Magic assistant coach, Patrick Ewing feels his young protégé’s stats are just the tip of his maximum talent’s proverbial iceberg. “I put in a lot of work to get to the NBA,” says Howard. “So I figure if I do everything I need to do every day in the weight room and during practice I should be a dominant player.”
Dwight Howard’s statistics separate him from his peers but it’s his personality that places him in a marketable class by himself. When Dwight dunks over an opponent, instead of snarling, he runs up court with an ear-to-ear smile. When asked by Slam Dunk Contest rival Nate Robinson to assist his attempt as a prop, Dwight obliged, exhibiting a rare brand of sportsmanship. Most wouldn’t envision the League’s biggest and baddest as a smiling nice guy doing the latest dance during pre-game shoot-arounds. What they don’t understand is that the statuesque anomaly is not only taking his game serious, he’s taking life serious. “I’m just blessed to be alive,” says Howard. “My mom lost seven kids. I was supposed to be the eighth kid to die. The doctor told her I wasn’t gonna make it either. I’m just happy to have life and I’m gonna show that every day. What they don’t understand is the more I smile the more the fans smile.”
Once drafted Howard established the Dwight D. Howard Foundation (DDHF), which provides scholarships for underprivileged children who desire to attend his alma mater Southwest Academy and grants for children interested in attending Lovell Elementary School and Memorial Middle School in Orlando.
Like his smile, Dwight’s unique star shines worldwide. Despite his age, he is recognized as an international ambassador for today’s NBA. Off-court he consistently tours the globe in efforts to lengthen the League’s charitable reach. On court he helped return USA to Olympic glory in Beijing as a prestigious member of 2008’s Gold Medal earning “Redeem Team.”
When Howard isn’t traveling across the United States visiting children’s hospitals or promoting literacy via the NBA’s “Read To Achieve” program, he’s trekking wherever he’s needed on Earth. In an effort to help at-risk youth around the world, the gentle giant launched the Dwight Howard Fund (DHF) in April 2010. DHF will begin its work by targeting youths in Haiti that were victims in the 2010 earthquake and will support programs that use sport and recreation to help kids overcome the trauma of the earthquake, while promoting education. Placing smiles on the faces of today’s youth while empowering them to reach for the stars is a constant part of Dwight’s life. Despite a busy schedule, he remains passionate and committed to providing his time and face to organizations, such as the Big Brothers Big Sisters, where he recently became National Ambassador.
There isn’t a deed more important to Dwight then his outreach to children. He takes pride and truly enjoys being an ambassador for the NBA. His yearly trips to Africa, China, Taiwan and India have given him the opportunity to share his athletic talent and leave young people chanting his name. His popularity in China rivals hometown hero Yao Ming.
The mission is to lift the already towering Dwight Howard brand to newer heights so that more charitable work can be accomplished. This is why he’s recently committed himself to a second childhood passion of his: acting. He slipped into the role of Orlando Magic locker room entertainer as effortlessly as he earned his class clown reputation in school. It’s no wonder he’s already landed his first motion picture role with the spring 2010 Common and Queen Latifah-starring movie Just Wright and received thespian advisory from the likes of Larenz Tate, Martin Lawrence and Tyler Perry.
The NBA Hall-of-Fame is inevitable for Dwight Howard. Becoming an icon will be an even richer achievement. He’ll have even greater basketball success––individually (NBA MVP) and collectively (NBA Championship). He’ll achieve this with thunderous dunks, unforeseen grace and an unapologetic smile as bright as his intended home in Hollywood. In the meantime Dwight David Howard is simply the franchise giant of the NBA and superman to children in need. “I have a great opportunity to become one of the best big men to ever play the game. But I want my legacy to be bigger and better off the court than it is on the court. Basketball is just a platform for all the great things that I want to do in life.”
