Week after week, Dwight Howard pushing his way through DWTS, but ever wondered about the challenges faced by him? The ex-NBA star recently made it to the next week of Dancing With The Stars with his dance partner Daniella Karagach, thanks in part to the immense support he has been receiving and his appeal for the votes. But a major credit obviously goes to the on-floor chemistry between D12 and Karagach. However, the dancing pair has its own set of challenges.

The biggest one of them is the height difference between the two stars. As mentioned by Karagach, standing 5’3″ herself, Howard is the tallest person she ever worked with. Yes, she won a season of DWTS with Iman Shumpert, but even he was 6’5″ as compared to 6’10” D12. Speaking on the same lines, the dancing pair revealed the toughest dance move for them. “Anything side by side works. Anything in frame is very difficult to do… We make it work,” Daniella said.

And so far they have made it work quite impressively as they moved to the next week along with Olympics gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, ex-NFL star Danny Amendola, and Rugby Union star Ilona Maher. Though it wasn’t an easy ride for Dwight Howard. He had to wait until the very last moment to find out if they were safe. So as he heads into the next week, Howard ensured to remind his audience of the way they can lend support.

“Text DWIGHT to 21523 to vote for Dwight Howard You can vote up to 10x,” he put out a plea on X, giving his all to the show.

This week’s theme gave dancers the chance to dedicate their performances to someone important in their lives, and Dwight didn’t hold back. He and Karagach performed a rumba to Shoot For The Stars, dedicated to his children, and recorded by the 2020 NBA champ himself. And if you were watching, you could see his passion and heart poured into every move.

Derek Hough praised D12’s impressive arm work, commenting on his emotional connection to the dance. Mark Ballas and Carrie Ann Inaba, though, were hoping to see more hip movement and less of that subtle bounce the ex-NBA star’s been adding. But one thing is clear—Howard’s growth as a dancer, just like his fan support, is undeniable. However, this does not mean that the 8x All Star is now over his first love—basketball.

Dwight Howard asks Lakers owner Jeanie Buss for another chance

Remember the Los Angeles Lakers’ thrilling 2020 championship run? Howard was right there in the thick of it, contributing to their success. But when the next season rolled around, fans were puzzled—why wasn’t the 8x All Star back in purple and gold?

Well, it seems Dwight was wondering the same thing. On a recent episode of his podcast, he sat down with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and couldn’t resist playfully singing, “Jeanie, give me one more chance.” It’s clear he’s got a sense of humor about it, but there’s a real story behind the laughs. The 8x All Star opened up, sharing how hurt he felt when the Lakers didn’t bring him back.

“I was sad… Wanted to come back… Thought that the team we had would be back together again. I thought I had done something wrong,” he confessed. Jeanie, on the other hand, pointed out that they did extend an offer to Howard back then, suggesting that perhaps some miscommunication led to the split. But after all this time, the chances of Dwight Howard’s return to the league seem thin. However, he still has a chance at a championship with Dancing With the Stars.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join our exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host, BG12, sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.