20 July 2023 , 18:40
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NBA legend Dwight Howard is one of the best rebounders in league history - and his rebounding skills translate to his personal life as the dominant center has enjoyed a prolific dating history.
Howard was one of the best defensive players throughout his career in the NBA, and he continues playing overseas in Taiwan nowadays. Known to enjoy himself away from basketball, the 37-year-old has five children with five different women.
"It’s a tough situation, obviously," Howard told Sports Illustrated in a rare interview in which he addressed his private life in 2017. "I should have been more responsible. I messed up. I sinned. But I won’t look at any of them as a mistake. They’re all a blessing to me."
Whilst he has generally been tight-lipped about his life away from the court, Howard's personal life has generated a lot of rumours and attention over the years since he entered the league as the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
He began dating Tiffany Render a few years after being drafted as his career with the Orlando Magic began to get off the ground. The couple broke up in 2010 when Render’s daughter, Layla, was born.
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After his relationship with Render concluded, Howard courted and began dating fitness model Hope Alexa, and the pair also had a daughter during their relationship. He later dated Christine Vest and Camilla Poindexter, while he was also involved with Teanna Trump. He reportedly enjoyed a fling with the adult movie star in 2012.
Howard also dated Royce Reed during his career. Reed, famous for appearing on the reality show ‘Basketball Wives’, shares a son, Braylon Howard, with the eight-time All-Star with their son born in 2017.
His list of rumoured previous romances continues with Celina Powell as well as Marion Denise Douglas, who has a tattoo of Howard’s logo on her neck. He also dated Melissa Rios, the late mother of his son, David. Rios died in March 2020 following an epileptic seizure in her California home.
Howard most recently dated WNBA guard Te'a Cooper. The pair got engaged in 2019, but they parted ways two years later. While Cooper now dates New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, whilst Howard is believed to be single.
Dwight Howard last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021/22 season (Getty Images)Away from his personal life, Howard boasts a number of NBA records while playing for a host of teams; the Magic, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. He spent 18 seasons in the NBA and owns career averages of 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
Howard was also selected for the All-NBA First Team in five successive years from 2008-2012 and performed as well as any defensive big man in league history during his time with the Magic. He led the franchise to the 2009 NBA Finals where they fell to Kobe Bryant’s Lakers.
Howard left the Magic in 2012 to join the Lakers alongside Bryant in what was a disappointing season before going on to partner James Harden at the Rockets. He remained a rebound-snatching center and won the NBA championship during a second spell with the Lakers in 2019/20.
The five-time rebounding champion attempted to get another contract in the NBA, but to no avail. Back in November 2022, Howard announced he'd sign with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan.