Dwight Howard’s life in the public eye has followed a winding path. Nearly two decades after he burst onto the NBA scene as the No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft, Howard has gone from franchise superstar to pariah to NBA champion. Now 36 and coming off of his 18th season, Howard appears to have his sights set on his next career path: professional wrestling.
The veteran center made a surprise appearance at the WWE’s SummerSlam tryout in Nashville on Thursday, debuting his proposed ring persona as “Sho ’Nuff,” an apparent nod to the character from the 1985 martial arts film The Last Dragon. Howard strutted the stage with swagger, using a bag of nuts hidden in his back pocket as a prop and drawing supportive chanting from the crowd.
In many ways, Howard seems like a perfect fit for the WWE. Especially early on in his career, his colorful personality made him one of the most popular players in the NBA, and he demonstrated his performative streak with his performance in winning the 2008 slam dunk contest.
Howard played in 60 games for the Lakers last season—his third stint with the team—averaging 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He’s played for a different team in each of the past seven seasons and is currently a free agent, making his basketball future a bit of an unknown.
Whenever Howard’s career on the hardcourt reaches its conclusion, perhaps we’ll see him entering a new arena not long after.
