Valientes say they're close to a deal with Dwight Howard
Valientes say they’re close to a deal with Dwight Howard
DWIGHT Howard may not be headed back to Los Angeles after the Lakers’ early playoff exit, but the former NBA All-Star is close to a deal with a new team.
Howard, who was the Lakers’ primary defender on Nikola Jokic when the Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets on the way to the NBA bubble championship, in close to a return to a Filipino team via the Zamboanga Valientes in The Asian Tournament.
Valientes team owner Junnie Navarro said they are now ’80 percent sure’ of getting Howard to put pen to paper on a deal.
READ Valientes in talks to sign Dwight Howard for The Asian Tournament
“Yes, we’re almost there. What was once an April Fool’s Day joke is turning into reality. Kaunting details na lang, he will sign up with us na,” said the son of the late Zamboangueno businessman/sportsman Rolando Navarro, Sr.
Navarro bared that Howard fell in love with Filipino basketball fans when he first visited the country to play for the Strong Group Athletics in a Dubai invitational tournament last February.
Treated as a rockstar, Howard was a hit in the basketball-crazed country, boosting his new-found career as a social media influencer.
“Grabe naging pagtanggap sa kanya ng mga Pilipino kaya madali kay Dwight ang bumalik sa Pilipinas,” said Navarro.
Aside from that, Howard is said to be eyed by different companies as endorser owing to his likeable personality, among them Go for Gold/Scratchit cards and Mang Inasal.
Also, Howard is set to inaugurate a basketball court named in his honor in Valenzuela.
Valientes eyed Shaq’s on
Navarro bared that apart from Howard, they also tried signing Shaquille O’Neal’s son Shareef. But the latter has already agreed in principle with a team in Chinese Taipei, he added.
“Ganda sanang team up nun. But nothing lost, Dwight yung makukuha natin. And may pusong Pinoy na ito at malakas pa ang charisma sa crowd. Win-win ito for Zamboanga Valientes.
“Isuot lang mya jersey namin at i-represent bayan namin at Pilipinas, champion na agad kami nun. Of course, we won’t let Howard down, we will aim for the championship as well with him,” said the young sports patron, a nephew of Col. Ariel Querubin.
Getting high profile imports is no longer new to the Valientes. Last year they were able to sign former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers and Puerto Rican veteran Renaldo Balkman for their campaign in the now-defunct Asean Basketball League.