Former NBA star Dwight Howard signs with a team in the Philippines after denying allegations he sexually assaulted a man at his Georgia home in 2021
- Howard will play with a Philippine team in a two-week tournament in Dubai
- He hopes to return to the NBA and has been working with Golden State
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Former NBA star Dwight Howard will continue to play basketball abroad, specifically in Asia, but in a new country.
Howard signs with a Philippine team participating in the two-week Dubai International Basketball Championship tournament.
He will play with the 'Strong Group' team in Dubai on a tournament-wide deal from January 19 to January 28.
Howard's deal came after a season of personal success in Taiwan, while also dealing with legal issues in his native Atlanta.
In October, Howard denied allegations of assault and battery stemming from a July 2021 incident.
Former NBA star Dwight Howard signs with a Philippine team for a tournament in Dubai
This came after weeks of speculation – including from Howard himself – about where he might go
Howard had a great 2023 in Taiwan and is looking forward to a return to the NBA this season
Howard said he engaged in “consensual sexual acts” with another man at his home in Georgia.
But the former NBA big man denied charges of causing injury, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress caused by the alleged victim, Stephen Harper.
At the time of his denial, an attorney for Howard said his client looks forward to “presenting the truth” in court.
Although Howard could not lead the Taoyuan Leopards to success in wins last season in Taiwan, he was named the league's Most Valuable Import. He also led the league in rebounds, was named to the league's First Team and All-Defensive First Team, and was named MVP of the league's All-Star game.
Howard recently worked with the Golden State Warriors and although he did not sign with them, he is still aiming for a comeback to the league.
Howard is a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and won his first NBA title in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The announcement of his new team came after he joked on Twitter that he could help the struggling Detroit Pistons “win some games” while listing a number of other free agents who could be helpful.
He also posted a meme of himself standing shirtless in front of some flags of different countries with the words “Where Will Howard Go?” above him.