Dwight Howard didn’t replicate Iman Shumpert’s success with Daniella Karagach on his stint on Dancing with the Stars. But doesn’t mean he didn’t win big time. The grand prize of reaching the final week of DWTS and winning is the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy and bragging rights. There’s no prize money that goes with it. Instead, like most reality competitions, ABC incentivizes lasting longer in the running with weekly paychecks.

Dwight and Daniella lasted longer than expected, finishing eighth and an appearance in the finale. He made a hefty figure in the six weeks he spent in the ballroom.

Dwight Howard danced his way to a pretty penny

Dancing with the Stars of course wasn’t about the money for Dwight Howard. In the adjacent press tours, he’s often said he wants his kids to see their Superman dad try every challenge besides basketball.

He was gunning for the Mirrorball Trophy but by fan consensus, he’s not at par with his competitors. Like Joey Graziadei, who won season 33 with Jenna Johnson.

According to multiple reports, each celebrity competing in DWTS, including Howard and Graziadei, receive a six-figure paycheck for every week. Variety reported that contestants earn around $125,000 during the rehearsal period and the first two weeks on air.

An additional sum is added every week they avoid elimination. So the contestant can get an additional $10,000 per week. For making it to week 5, the bonus goes up to $15,000. Weeks eight and nine go to $30,000 each. The semis and finale, as well as winning the grand prize accompany a bonus of $50,000. Variety also said that the max a celebrity contestant can earn is about $295,000.

Dwight Howard lasted in the ballroom for six weeks. That would amount to about $170,000. It’s unclear if he gets paid for his appearance in the finale. But considering an NBA player would play about 18 games in six weeks and roughly 20 hours of rehearsals before DWTS begins airing, this is a sizable paycheck for an NBA player outside the court.

The pros like Daniella Karagach have a different contract. They reportedly earned around $1,200 per episode until a couple of seasons ago. Like a veteran’s bonus, returning choreographers get a bump to around $5,000. This puts their total salary per season at around $100,000.

DWTS was invaluable to Superman

Every season of DWTS has that one ‘how is he still there’ contestant. Dwight Howard is the one in season 33. DH was less than impressive and barely avoided elimination. But Daniella Karagach is a smart choreographer. Despite their shocking height difference, she made his build work. It got him the first 10 of the season from Carrie Ann Inaba.

In turn, Howard has gotten into remarkable shape since he won the 2020 NBA championship. Some fans even think the lean muscles and fancy footwork make him ready for an NBA comeback.

The paycheck and the workout were great. The experience was the real gain. “I learned so much, not just from dancing but how to be a partner. How to listen, really, to your partner, understand what your partner is saying and try to go out and emulate all those different things and really have your partner’s back. All those things are key,” Howard said after his elimination.

Competitive as he is, D-Howard wanted to make it to the finale for the flex. He admitted that fans and the odds didn’t favor him and he came up short. Yet, “We didn’t get the trophy, but I know I put in 110% every single day and, you know, I’m happy with where we are.” With $170,000 in the offseason, the bitterness of losing the Mirrorball is softened.