Howard and his parents arrived here Thursday night for the NBA Madness, an interactive theme park extravaganza that attracted thousands of fans on over 30,000 square feet of space at the Araneta Coliseum parking lot last weekend. They leave with Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton and six bombshells from the Houston Rockets Power Dancers for Taiwan this afternoon.
NBA Asia senior marketing manager Carlo Singson said 14 officers and staff from the pro league’s Hong Kong and Japan offices flew in to coordinate the staging of the biggest NBA Madness ever.
While in town, the visiting NBA celebrities took a city tour that included a stop in Intramuros and enjoyed Filipino-style nightlife with the rocking group Hyperbeat in the VIP Welcome Party at the Kuisine resto-bar in Makati.
Howard and Walton also conducted clinics for 12-and-under boys, 13-to-23-year-old big men and 30 coaches from local elementary schools, high schools and colleges.
"I hope Detroit makes it," said Howard. "It’s because I like Rasheed Wallace. He went to UNC (University of North Carolina), the school I would’ve gone to if I didn’t turn pro from high school. I like playing against Sheed. He’s very competitive. He encourages me. But San Antonio is playing awesome with guys like Manu (Ginobili), Tony (Parker) and Tim (Duncan). It’s going to be an interesting Finals."
Howard, 19, said he made the right decision to turn pro instead of go to college and doesn’t agree with the proposal to set a minimum age for players to apply for the NBA draft.
The 6-11, 260-pound power forward said he plans to eventually enroll in college. "I like to act," he said. "So maybe, I’ll take up an acting course. I just don’t know when I can do it."
Howard was the NBA’s first overall draft pick last year straight out of high school. "I made the right decision (to turn pro)," he said. "Nobody should stop anyone from setting his goals and making his dreams come true. If you’re ready to go to the NBA whether you’re in high school or college, you should go for it. I think it’s also important to go to college but the NBA and the collegiate game are two different levels."
Howard said he bought his parents Dwight Sr. and Sheryl a house in Atlanta with his first Magic paycheck.
"My parents have always been there for me," said Howard. "They’re the biggest influence in my life."
Dwight, Sr., who retired as a Georgia State trooper after 15 years last month, said he went to watch about 60 of his son’s 82 games this past regular season. He missed only two of Orlando’s 41 home games. Howard’s father is the athletic director at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.
Howard is the second of three children. The oldest is Tashanda, 26, and the youngest is 16-year-old Jahaziel, a 6-5 guard who’s a starter on the Southwest Atlanta varsity.
"Just to get Jahaziel to play in the NBA would be a dream come true," said Dwight, Sr. "So I’m not even thinking of seeing Dwight and Jahaziel playing together on the same NBA team."
Dwight, Sr. said next month, the newly-organized Dwight Howard Foundation will stage a benefit show for fathers and sons in Atlanta. It will involve reaching out to fatherless inner city youth and bringing kids together with their fathers. The culmination of the show will be a celebrity game featuring the likes of Magic Johnson, Josh Smith, Grant Hill, Jameer Nelson, Erick Dampier and Howard himself.
Dwight, Sr. said his son doesn’t know it but the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, where he graduated, will name its gym after him in dedication rites this summer.
In an interview on Dime Magazine, Howard said his mission in life is to preach God’s Word in the NBA.
"I want people to see me off the court and on the court," he said, quoted by Jed Berger. "I don’t want people to see me as a two-face. I need to represent God and myself on the court and off the court, rekindle what David Robinson did in the league. It isn’t that I want to use (the NBA) as a pedestal but I feel a responsibility to share the Word of God."
Howard told The STAR he plans to play for only one team in his NBA career and retire with the Magic after winning five or six championships. He added that he hopes to enjoy a long career and play into his 40s like Robert Parish and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.