TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Eight-time NBA All Star Dwight Howard is headed to Taiwan to play for the Taoyuan Leopards in the island’s top division.
“I can’t wait to see the fans, eat the food and have the best time ever … and bring a championship,” the 36-year-old center said in a social media post.
Alongside baseball, basketball is the most popular sport in Taiwan, with both girls and boys high school championships broadcast island-wide.
Howard has collected league records with a clutch of teams, notably the Orlando Magic, and signed a one-year contract with the Los Angles Lakers in 2021. Last season, he averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 60 games for the Lakers as a reserve and in his career has averaged 15.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg and 1.8 bpg in 1242 career NBA games.
The Leopards are among six teams in the T-1 league, which features numerous players from the U.S. and Europe.
The club did not provide details of the deal with Howard.