Dwight Howard set to arrive in Manila

(UPDATE) FORMER NBA star Dwight Howard is expected to arrive on Sunday as he joins the Strong Group team that will be representing the Philippines in the upcoming Dubai International Basketball Championship set to fire off in January in the United Arab Emirates.

In his Instagram reel posted Friday (Manila time), the 6-foot-10 former Los Angeles Lakers star slot man announced that he’s on his way to the Philippines and even invited Filipino fans to “meet me at the airport…for a chance to get your picture with me.”

“Meet me at the airport Saturday, January 6, for a chance to get your picture with me and autograph, and let me know in the comments what things I should do or what places I should visit when I arrive! Let’s go Philippines I’m on my way,” the 38-year-old Howard wrote on his official Instagram account @dwighthoward.

Strong Group coach Charles Tiu confirmed his arrival, not on Saturday though, but on Sunday, noting that Howard’s flight to Manila “has been delayed.”

“Tomorrow pa, I think, may delayed flight,” Tiu relayed to The Manila Times on Saturday.

Howard is coming off a stint with the Taoyuan Leopards in Tawain’s T1-League, where he averaged 23.2 points, 16.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 blocks.

Still showing he’s a dominant force, the former NBA Slam Dunk champion went on to earn a spot in the T1 League All First Team, emerged as the league’s rebounds leader, the tournament’s Most Valuable Import and All-Star Most Valuable Player as well.

Howard helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2020 NBA title as a backup big man, moved over to play for the Philadelphia 76ers the following year, before returning to the Purple and Gold in the 2021-2022 season.

Howard’s third trip back to LA wasn’t that rosy, prompting him to eventually move overseas and play for Taoyuan in Taiwan.

The 2004 NBA top overall rookie pick will be bringing in his vast basketball experience to a Strong Group side that only reached the quarterfinals in last year’s edition.