Despite all the success and the huge salaries NBA players are currently enjoying, they know that once they are past their prime, they will need to plan ahead and find out what they want to do once they retire. However, for Dwight Howard, he is already thinking of that as early as now, and have taken a huge step in preparing for his future.
The newly-acquired Charlotte Hornets center shared, via Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated, that he purchased a 700-acre farm in North Georgia, as he plans to retire there after his basketball career.
This summer Howard bought a 700-acre farm in north Georgia where he relaxes with the cows, hogs, turkeys and deer. He is particularly fond of the donkeys, which keep the coyotes away. To prepare for retirement, Howard has written what he calls his “99-year plan,” in which he hopes to become Farmer Dwight. “My dad grew up in the country, and whenever we drove to my grandma’s house, I was always fascinated by the farms we passed, how neat everything was,” Howard recalls. “I want to go out there, milk the cows, work the field. I’ll be able to tell you what watermelon came from what row.”
He has a garden on his estate in Suwanee where he grows squash, okra, tomatoes, figs, eggplant and cantaloupe. He proudly offers visitors samples of his fresh produce. In July, Howard visited the farm and mulled what crops he wants to plant. He likes what he hears about Moringa, coined the Miracle Tree because of its medicinal properties. “Everything is going to be organic, no pesticides,” Howard says. “We want to be in grocery stores, but I’d also like to organize a program where agriculture students at Georgia and Georgia Tech can come up and study the soil. This will be a place for my kids and their kids but also the community.”
There have been a number of stories from past players of the league who once earned a fortune, but lost them all due to different reasons, leading to bankruptcy. With his latest purchase, it shows that Dwight Howard does not want to be part of that list, and would like to have a good investment even before his playing days are over.
For now, he can start focusing on how he can contribute immediately for the Hornets, as the team hopes to have the Dwight of old in their fold, and not an old Dwight. If he can prove that he still has a lot left in the tank, his plans for his farm may need to be pushed back, as he could be in line for a resurgence in his career.
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