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Former NBA star Dwight Howard said this week that his pro wrestling aspirations are no more following a conversation with WWE Hall of Famer “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Howard explained that Flair convinced him to halt his pursuit of a career in pro wrestling: “I was talking to Ric Flair. He said I don’t know if my knees is good for wrestling.”
Back in 2022 during SummerSlam weekend in Nashville, Howard was one of several athletes to take part in a WWE tryout.
Following the tryout, Howard spoke to Arash Markazi of The Sporting Tribune, telling him he wanted to continue to pursue opportunities in the NBA before transitioning to pro wrestling and joining WWE:
Arash Markazi @ArashMarkazi
Dwight Howard said he would like to play in the NBA next season but is ready to transition and join the WWE if that does not happen. His NBA career began in Orlando and he said he’s open to beginning his WWE career in Orlando where the WWE Performance Center is located. <a href=”https://t.co/VnT0bA1LCB”>pic.twitter.com/VnT0bA1LCB</a>
Despite his status as an eight-time All-Star, three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and one-time NBA champion, Howard has gone unsigned by NBA teams since the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.
However, rather than making the move to WWE, he has continued his professional basketball career overseas in Taiwan.
The 38-year-old Howard was once among the most dominant players in the NBA during his eight-year run with the Orlando Magic to start his career, but he became something of a role player and a journeyman during the latter part of his time in the NBA, bouncing around between multiple teams.
Still, Howard has plenty of star power and great size at 6’10”, which potentially could have made him a natural fit in the world of pro wrestling.
However, to Flair’s point, Howard’s size and the wear and tear he put on his body over the course of an 18-year NBA career would perhaps make it difficult for him to endure the rigors of a pro wrestling schedule.
Since WWE has long loved to work with athletes and celebrities, the door is likely still open for Howard if he changes his mind, although a one-off appearance may be more in his wheelhouse than a full-time career switch to wrestling.
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