# So, former NBA player Dwight Howard is gay **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** basketball-nba\ **Created:** [October 24, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041 "2023-10-24T21:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/1 "2023-10-24T21:40:18Z")
This is a sordid tale. Dwight Howard, former NBA superstar center, is being accused of sexually assaulting another man. The allegations are that Howard tried to force the man into a threesome with another man (who was reportedly dressed as a woman), and also forced sexual acts on the man. Howard has been defending himself in court. Well, today the news has noted that Howard, through his lawyers, he replied that the behavior was consensual. So, uh, this is the biggest confirmed gay athlete, right? Dwight Howard was an 8 time all star and 3 time defensive player of the year. I mean, it’s sad that his private life has become so public, but it’s still an interesting milestone for him to confirm some of these activities. > **[Dwight Howard Admits Meeting Man on Instagram to Hook Up, Denies Lover Was...](https://radaronline.com/p/dwight-howard-admits-meeting-man-instagram-hook-up-denies-alleged-assault-kitty-court/)** > > The ex-NBA star says he did exchange sexually explicit text messages with a man named Stephen Harper but denies he assaulted the man. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/2 "2023-10-25T00:06:27Z")
Bi, he’s been with plenty of women also. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/3 "2023-10-25T00:12:51Z")
Uhhh…do I want to ask how you know that? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/4 "2023-10-25T00:48:50Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > do I want to ask how you know that? In fairness, he was _briefly_ married to a woman. > **[Who is Dwight Howard's ex-wife, Te'a Cooper? Looking into former Lakers...](https://www.sportskeeda.com/amp/basketball/news-who-dwight-howard-s-ex-wife-te-a-cooper-looking-former-lakers-superstar-s-personal-life-amid-assault-allegations)** > > Dwight Howard isn't known to show off his personal life, as he usually presents his basketball life more to the public. And he has fathered a child. > **[Dwight Howard faces backlash for intense workout video with his 9-year-old son](https://amp.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/2023/07/08/64a8ed3fe2704e561f8b458a.html)** > > Former NBA player Dwight Howard has found himself at the center of controversy after sharing a video on his Instagram. > > The NBA Champion sparked a heated debate among his followers ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/5 "2023-10-25T02:09:20Z")
This might explain a lot of the non-specific commentary about Howard’s personality throughout his career. I never really presumed he was gay but for years he was obliquely criticized for being immature and quirky off the court. I wonder if that reporting was coded, or maybe he’s also those things and this is just one more detail. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/6 "2023-10-25T02:12:46Z")
It just seems tragic to me that his story is going to be tied to such salacious allegations as a cross dressing partner named “Kitty” and reports that Howard forced oral sex on an unwilling man. Instead, it’d be nice if a superstar player could have revealed his variant sexuality in a more wholesome context. I can’t figure out if his reveal will help or hurt the cause of gay athletes. I suspect it won’t do them much good. At best, perhaps nobody will discuss it. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/7 "2023-10-25T02:16:23Z")
I know we’re always supposed to believe the victim in cases like this, but when tens of millions of dollars are involved you have to take a wait and see approach. If he was bound and determined to keep his sexuality under wraps you have to wager that he’s paid a fair bit of hush money over the years. I’d say that puts him in good company with most other athletes. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-former-nba-player-dwight-howard-is-gay/992041/8 "2023-10-25T15:07:18Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Uhhh…do I want to ask how you know that? If you are asking me, because he has five children with five different mothers.