Lakers News: Dwight Howard Shines in His Taiwan Debut

The former Laker and NBA All-Star dominates for the Taoyuan Leopards.

The first overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft, eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, did not interest any NBA teams this past offseason, so he decided to take his talents to Taiwan. 

Howard is now the face of Taiwan's T1 League for the Taoyuan Leopards. Since signing with the team, the Taoyuan Leopards have drawn enormous media attention, and rightfully so. 

Howard's new club faced the New Taipei CTBC DEA in his debut, and he played like the All-Star and NBA champion that he is. 

DWIGHT HOWARD attempted 10 THREES during his ridiculous debut in Taiwan

38 Points
14/32 Shooting
2/10 Threes
8/12 Free Throws
25 Rebounds
9 Assists
4 Blockspic.twitter.com/wJztp0RLoT

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 19, 2022

Dwight looked like the Orlando Magic Dwight that led his team to the 2009 NBA Finals (but lost to the Lakers, of course). The dude was putting on a show. 

The numbers above speak for themselves, but Howard was toying with his opponents. He was coming off pick and rolls as the primary ball handler, isoing his defenders, hitting jump shots and threes at a consistent rate, and proving effective along the perimeter for most of the highlights. 

Dwight was clearly showing off all of his offensive arsenal, one so multifaceted (he took 10 triples!) that it surely surprised some fans. 

In the NBA, Howard was known for his paint dominance and presence, blocking shots, posting up, and setting picks. He was the main focus of the Leopards' offense and looked comfortable everywhere on the court. 

The 36-year-old was playing like a MyPlayer on 2K. He was doing whatever he wanted, and the crowd loved it. 

Whether or not he ever plays another second in the NBA, Howard is a first ballot Hall of Famer. We'll see if this performance catches the eye of an NBA team this season. 

The former NBA champ, who logged three separate tours of duty with your Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13, 2019-20 and 2021-22), announced his decision to play in Taiwan on his Instagram on November 7th.