By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following the third stint at the Los Angeles Lakers and while being stuck in the NBA free-agent pool, Dwight Howard stepped in the direction of becoming a WWE Superstar.
WWE, steadily moving in the post-Vince McMahon era, held tryouts in Nashville, Tennessee. The 2020 NBA champion was present in Thursday’s SummerSlam tryout session and cut a solid promo. WWE scouts and new head of creative Paul Levesque better known as Triple H enjoyed his effort. The latter also talked directly to Howard.
Howard, 36, also participated in in-ring drills, seeking advice from trainers on ‘how to properly take a bump in the ring and do other moves’, according to ESPN’s Arash Markazi. The top pick of the 2004 NBA draft is a long-time wrestling fan and is seriously considering a future in the WWE, he confirmed following the tryout.
“I think it is something in my future. I love the WWE. I love wrestling,” he told ESPN’s Markazi, “I’m grateful and thankful for this opportunity to be here and just witness this whole thing, tryouts, and everything. Hopefully one day in the future, I’ll actually be in the ring, wrestling and holding up a belt.”
The 2021-22 season, his 18th in the NBA, produced 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.6 blocks, 0.6 steals, and 0.6 assists per contest over 60 appearances, including 27 starts. The Lakers missed the Playoffs for the seventh time in the last nine years after the 2020 championship snapped the franchise-worst seven-year drought.
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