Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Dwight Howard is to return to Taiwan next month to headline a charity exhibition game organized by the New Taipei Kings and The Asian Tournament (TAT), the Kings announced on Friday.
The eight-time NBA All-Star is to lead a TAT All-Star team against a Kings All-Star squad in the “Kings Heart Classic” at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei on Sept. 13, the club said in a news release.
The full rosters — which would include basketball players and entertainers — would be announced before the game, the Kings said.
Photo: AP
“My time in Taiwan was special. Taiwanese fans are the most passionate in the world. I still remember that atmosphere,” Howard, 40, was quoted as saying in the statement.
“I’m looking forward to coming back, and especially to doing something for Taiwan’s stray dogs. See you in Xinzhuang on Sept. 13,” he added.
Part of the proceeds from the event would be donated to PACK Taiwan, an animal welfare organization, to improve shelter care and support the adoption of stray dogs, the Kings said.
Before the charity game, the Kings are to play a friendly against the Macau Black Knights, with Howard serving as a guest commentator. A fan meet-and-greet with Howard is to be held between the two games.
The former NBA center became one of Taiwan’s most prominent foreign athletes after joining the Taoyuan Leopards in the now-defunct T1 League for the 2022-2023 season following 18 seasons in the NBA.
Howard averaged 23.2 points, a league-leading 16.2 rebounds and five assists in 20 games for the Leopards. His debut drew a sellout crowd of 15,000 and about 160,000 viewers on the league’s YouTube livestream.
He returned to Taiwan in July 2024 to play for the Taiwan Mustangs in the TAT, a league in which he said he had an ownership stake.
Howard again highlighted his ties to Taiwan during his September last year induction speech at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, saying that basketball had allowed him to form connections around the world and mentioning his efforts to establish a league in Taiwan.
Howard, nicknamed “Superman,” won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year three times.
Tickets for the Kings Heart Classic are to go on general sale at 6pm on Wednesday, following a six-hour priority window for Kings season-ticket holders, the club said.
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