Fast forward to 2023, plying his wares in Taiwan for the Taoyuan Leopards in the T1 League and the Filipino love just keeps on coming.
"The fans have been great. Even before I came here, on TikTok, Instagram, going on different places, they always say, 'You gotta come back to the Philippines,'" Howard recounted to the media on Wednesday.
So he came back, suiting up for Strong Group Athletics to represent the Philippines in the Dubai International Basketball Championship.
It was actually a former NBA player who convinced Howard to fly to the Philippines--fellow big man Andray Blatche, who used to play for the Brooklyn Nets before becoming a naturalized player Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine men's national basketball team.
"Dray asked me to come out. I say, 'Yeah, where we going?'" Howard recounted.
When Blatche mentioned the Philippines, Howard was immediately game, "Oh I gotta go. And here we are now."
There was no doubt Howard was a defensive star, with three-straight Defensive Player of the Year awards in the NBA, four consecutive NBA All-Defensive First Team citations, and five rebounding titles, and two blocks titles.
But now, he acknowledges the changing role of big men in basketball, highlighted by the rise of two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic.
"In the NBA, my role and what I was most dominant at was catching the ball in the paint," Howard reflected.
"It's a new age, new era of basketball. You gotta be able to shoot and space the floor, and just be able to play outside," he said.
For his credit, Dwight has shown the willingness to also adjust his game, especially in his Asian stint.
In Howard's last season with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2021-22 season, he shot eight of 15 three-pointers overall.
During the 2022-23 season with the Leopards, he managed to make 16 and became the T1 League's Most Valuable Import.
As he continues his basketball foray in the far east, this time with a stop in the Philippines, Howard looks to be himself as he looks to play to his strengths and of course, have fun.
"Obviously, I'm never gonna get away from my bread and butter, which is in the paint. But it's also fun to come out and shoot the ball and make plays."
(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)
