Dwight Howard

About Dwight Howard

Dwight David Howard (born December 8, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career. He chose to forgo college and entered the 2004 NBA Draft. He was selected first overall by the Magic, and has since emerged as one of the top rebounders and players in the NBA. A two-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA member and one-time NBA All-Defensive member, he has been ranked consistently as one of the best in the league in field goal percentage. Howard's overall play and his spectacular dunks have gained him prominence as one of the brightest young prospects in the NBA and the team leader of the Magic. Additionally, the winner of the NBA 2008 Slam Dunk Contest is a devout Christian who contributes substantially to philanthropic causes.

Howard was born to Dwight Sr. and Sheryl Howard and into a family with strong athletic connections. His father is a Georgia state trooper and serves as Athletic Director of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, a private academy with one of the best high school basketball programs in the country, while his mother played on the inaugural women's basketball team at Morris Brown College. A devout Christian since his youth, Howard resolved in eighth grade to one day be selected as the number one pick in the NBA Draft. Howard elected to attend Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy for high school, and in his four years he averaged 16.6 points per game (ppg), 13.4 rebounds per game (rpg) and 6.3 blocks per game in 129 appearances. Generally recognized as the best American high school basketball player in 2004, Howard was awarded the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, the Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year Award, the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award, and the McDonald's National High School Player of the Year honor. Howard was also co-MVP (with J. R. Smith) of the McDonald's High School All-American Game that year.

Following his high school successes, Howard chose to forego college and declared for the 2004 NBA Draft, where the Orlando Magic selected him first overall. He finished his rookie season with an average of 12.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg, setting several NBA records in the process. He became the youngest player in NBA history to average a double double in the regular season. He also became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 10.0 rebounds in a season and youngest NBA player ever to record at least 20 rebounds in a game. Howard's importance to the Magic was highlighted when he became the first player in NBA history directly out of high school to start all 82 games during his rookie season. For his efforts, he was selected to play in the 2005 NBA Got Milk? Rookie Challenge, and was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie Team. Despite his excellent rookie season, he finished third to fellow center Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats and guard Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls for the Rookie of the Year award.