Dwight Howard rings in the new year with love and blessings. The basketball champ, along with his fiancée and daughters, flew 9,041 miles from the USA to the Land of Smiles to kick off 2025 in style. It was also the perfect occasion to celebrate his daughter Jayde’s birthday. Howard’s daughter Layla, whom he had with his ex-girlfriend Tiffany Render, also joined the trio for the trip. However, one member was absent from the family get-together.

Wishing his daughter a happy birthday, the Orlando Magic star hinted that they were going on a trip and recently revealed it was to Thailand. Howard shared some pictures on his X handle, also wishing a Happy New Year to his followers. “Happy New Year 🎊  #noshade,” he captioned the post. The pictures showed the family going rafting in the waters in Phuket. Both Layla and Jayde posed, smiling next to Howard and his fiancée. 

Sharing some more pictures on IG, he captioned it, “So blessed to be able to bring the New Year in with family 🎊❤️ We are celebrating my daughter Jayde’s birthday right here in Thailand 🇹🇭and I’m bringing in the New Year with my wife to be 🤞🏾♾️🤞🏾　#happynewyear #worldsmiletour #2025.”

Jayde was born on December 29, 2010, to fitness model Hope Alexa. She often joins her father and brother, Dwight III, for trips around the world since Howard began playing in Taiwan. She also went on a hiking trip with the basketball star and her sister in December 2022. The two sisters seem to share a great bond.

Amid all the fun, one face, Dwight Howard‘s son Braylon Howard, was not seen on the trip. It might have been due to the recent feuding between his mother, Royce Reed, and the former Orlando Magic player Howard.

Royce Reed threatened Dwight Howard

Just a month after Howard announced his engagement to rapper Amy Luciani, Reed took to social media to threaten to reveal the truth about the basketball champ. She created an Instagram account, Ihadababybysuperman. Without mentioning the basketball legend’s name, she made some claims.

“Imma post the texts and emails too if you keep playing with me and calling my bluff. I know about way more than you think I do so imma leave the initials R.E. to let you know it’s ON,” she said. Reed and Howard met in 2004, and they had a son, Braylon, in November 2007. Their feuding has made the news recently. Reed and Howard’s other ex-girlfriend, Render are also about to feature in a reality series in 2025, which will likely focus more on Howard. How did Howard react to this? 

He sent a simple message to his ex, saying all he wants is the best for her. “This is my HOF year. I’m getting married. God is amazing. And I’m so grateful and I wish Royce nothing but the best peace and [blessings],” he told The ShadeRoom. Later, in an interview, he explained that his ex should focus on their child and his growth more than seeking child support. The feuding will likely follow the basketball legend this year as well.