If there were any questions as to whether or not Dwight Howard can still ball out, then his highly anticipated debut in Taiwan should erase any and all doubts. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year came out with a monstrous performance in his first game for his new team, the Taoyuan Leopards, as he showcased his entire bag in front of a packed crowd.
Howard looked like he was playing in a video game as he amassed 38 points, 25 rebounds, nine assists, and four blocks in a truly mind-blowing debut in the T1 league:
Howard's Leopards emerged with an overtime victory, 120-115.
The fact that Howard took 32 shots in the game is a clear indication of just how heavily his team is going to rely on him this season. What's even more amazing is that the 36-year-old took 10 shots from 3-point territory in this one, connecting on two of them. I guess it's safe to say that Dwight Howard has been given the green light to pretty much do whatever he wants.
To be fair, Howard did dish out nine dimes as well, which also speaks volumes of just how much he had the ball in his hands in this game. The former eight-time NBA All-Star is going to have an insane usage rate with the Leopards, so let's just hope that he is able to remain healthy throughout the campaign.
If Dwight Howard keeps on playing like this, it's going to be hard for NBA teams to ignore him in the coming months. The competition in Taiwan is obviously not at the NBA level, but there's no denying that this man still has a lot of basketball left in him.