Though he’s in Manila to train for a tournament, Dwight Howard has been enjoying his trip to the Philippines in more ways than one.
In case you haven’t already heard (or run into him somewhere around the Metro), former NBA All-Star Dwight Howard has been in Manila for the past couple of weeks — and not just on vacation. He’s been training with Strong Group Athletics in preparation for the upcoming Dubai International Basketball Championship.
But, despite his training schedule, the former Los Angeles Lakers center has been making the most out of his time in the Philippines. Here are some highlights from his trip!
An interesting trip to the grocery
Despite being an NBA star in the middle of a basketball-obsessed country, Dwight Howard has not shied away from running into fans. This is why he was spotted in a grocery store somewhere in Metro Manila, and not only did fans get to meet him, but they even got the crazy idea to measure exactly how much taller he was than they were.
In a video he posted on Instagram, he got his fans to check his height using a tape measure in the middle of the pharmacy aisle of the grocery. “PBA, I’m only 6’9, man, come get me in the league,” Howard said after, much to the delight of his fans.
Meeting a boxing legend
It seems as though any international sports star who comes to the Philippines just has to meet Manny Pacquiao. After all, he is a legend himself, and Dwight Howard couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do just this. In fact, Dwight had to take it even further than just having a polite conversation with the boxing icon.
Based on his Instagram post, it looked like he got to do a lot more with Pacquiao — they played a game of chess together and Dwight received multiple signed memorabilia.
Tasting the best chicken in the Philippines
Dwight Howard claims to have found “the best chicken in the Philippines” as he says in one of his Instagram videos from his trip to Manila. This is none other than the famous Mang Inasal.
“The food was A+ from the Chicken Inasal, to the Palabok, to the pork barbecue, Halo Halo, and everything else on the menu. I would order it from anywhere in the world if I could!” he wrote in his caption. We’re sure many Filipinos all around the world feel the exact same way.
Playing with local stars
Of course, we can’t forget the biggest highlight of Dwight Howard’s trip to Manila — the fact that he is preparing to represent the Philippines in the Dubai International Basketball Championship, and is doing so alongside other Philippine basketball stars.
As a member of Strong Group Athletics, the NBA star has been sharing the court with talented Filipino players including Kevin Quiambao, JD Cagulangan, Francis Escandor, Justine Baltazar, and several others.
Having seen Howard train with the Strong Group Athletics team, it looks like he is not only gelling with the team well, but is also cheering his teammates on, laughing with them, supporting them, and ultimately, enjoying with them.
Overall, it looks like a trip Dwight will remember for a long time, and that Filipino fans and players will cherish for a long time, as well.
Banner image from Strong Group Athletics on Facebook.
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