Dwight Howard to Headline Taiwan League's 1st-Ever All-Star Game and 3-Point Contest

Former NBA center Dwight Howard is not only an All-Star in the T1 League in Taiwan, but he will take part in the league's three-point contest, via BasketNews.

Howard signed with the Taoyuan Leopards in November and has thrived with averages of 23.4 points and 13.0 rebounds. The T1 League, which was founded in 2021, will hold its first All-Star Game this year, and Howard received the most fan votes to captain Team Infinity against Team Beyond.

"I just want to say thank you to all the fans here in Taiwan who voted for me and the rest of my teammates," Howard said in a social media post. "I really appreciate each and every one of you. I cannot wait to get to the All-Star Game to have fun and see all of you guys. Thank you, thank you so much."

Howard's presence in the All-Star Game is not a surprise considering the excitement he generated just from his debut, when he had 38 points and 25 rebounds. The eight-time NBA All-Star was certain to be a dominant force against weaker competition.

However, NBA fans might be more surprised to see Howard in a three-point contest after he made just 22 threes across 18 seasons in the league. Eight of those came during his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he shot just 21.4 percent beyond the arc during his career.

The 37-year-old is still ready for new challenges.

"I am looking forward to it," he said. "Same thing I have been saying: Hard work always pays off, and you can't be afraid to fly. You can't be afraid to step outside the box and try things in life."

Howard made two out of 10 three-pointers in his first game for Taoyuan and has hit six in seven games.