DeMarcus Cousins' Taiwan title win fuels Dwight Howard's top NBA talent acquisition dream: "We got Global Influence"
Many players like Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins have moved to overseas basketball leagues after having successful careers in the NBA. However, returning to the biggest basketball league in the world isn't as easy for them as one might think.
Former Lakers player Dwight Howard has been rumored to make a comeback to the league for almost a year now. The former NBA star himself has shown interest in rejoining the league. He tweeted about the success of DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins, a former Golden State Warriors player from the NBA, in the Taiwan T1 League.
"Boogie just won a (ring) in Taiwan ! Stop playing with us we got Global Influence!"
Howard said "we got global influence," suggesting players like he and Cousins who have moved overseas still have the skills to win championships. The former Lakers star seemingly used Cousins' achievement to make a comeback case for himself and other former NBA stars playing overseas.
Dwight was previously connected with a rumored comeback to the Los Angeles Lakers after they had a rough 2023-24 season, but nothing developed on that. Another rumor has suggested his return to the league with the Golden State Warriors, but that also has not materialized.
Dwight Howard returns to Taiwan to play for the Mustangs
Dwight Howard will be returning to Taiwan to play in The Asian Tournament. The former Lakers star left the NBA in 2022 to join the Taoyuan Leopards, also known as the Taiwan Beer Leopards, in Taiwan's T1 league. It is the same team that DeMarcus Cousins plays for and has won a ring with.
Howard averaged 23.2 points,16.2 rebounds 5.0 assists in his time with the Leopards, quickly becoming a fan favorite at his new team. The 38-year-old center then moved to Puerto Rico to play for Mets de Guaynabo. He played there for some time and joins the Taiwan Mustangs next, where he will face teams from China, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea.
Howard has expressed his desire to play one last season in the NBA. He started his professional career with the Orlando Magic and wants to return for a last stint with them before retiring. In his 18-season career in the NBA, he has averaged 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.