Going from a top star in Orlando to a basic role player in Los Angeles couldn’t have been an easy transition for former All-Star big man Dwight Howard.
Weeks into NBA free agency, he remains unsigned by any team and nobody is sure when or if he’ll get a new deal before the new season begins in October.
The good news for Dwight is that he already appears to be moving on.
After crashing WWE tryouts in Nashville this week, the 3x Defensive Player of the Year is apparently considering a career change in the not-too-distant future.
TMZ Sports has video of the 36-year-old 8x NBA All-Star crashing tryouts in Nashville (WWE’s in TN for SummerSlam) … where he went all out on stage in front of Triple H and other company execs.
Howard channeled Sho’nuff (whom he was previously for Halloween) — the bad guy from the 1985 movie “The Last Dragon” — and he killed it!
Dwight is a well-known wrestling fan who also happens to be friends with WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil. With no NBA obligations at the moment, it made perfect sense for Howard to make an appearance at the event on Thursday.
While a bunch of college athletes are in town trying out, we’re told Dwight was just having some fun (he isn’t ready for basketball retirement just yet). But, that doesn’t mean you won’t see him in the ring sometime in the future.
“I think it is something in my future. I love the WWE. I love wrestling,” Howard told Arash Markazi. “I’m grateful and thankful for this opportunity to be here and just witness this whole thing, tryouts, and everything. Hopefully one day in the future, I’ll actually be in the ring, wrestling and holding up a belt.”
Dwight Howard said he would like to play in the NBA next season but is ready to transition and join the WWE if that does not happen. His NBA career began in Orlando and he said he’s open to beginning his WWE career in Orlando where the WWE Performance Center is located. pic.twitter.com/VnT0bA1LCB
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 28, 2022
Life in the WWE may not be as glamorous as life in the NBA, but Howard could thrive there doing something that he loves.
For now, he hasn’t given up hope of joining an NBA roster and that’s where his focus remains. But if enough time goes by, he might just drop everything for a chance at a spotlight in the ring.
It’s a solid backup plan for one of the league’s most beloved and widely recognized bigs.
