NEW YORK, Nov 9 — Eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard will continue his basketball career in Taiwan.

The 6-foot-10 center announced Monday night that he will play with the Taoyuan Leopards of Taiwan's T1 League in the upcoming season.

"I am so so excited, and I can't wait to touch down in Taiwan and start playing," Howard said in the team's social media post.

"I'm coming with open arms, with big hugs and big smiles."

The Orlando Magic made Howard, then an 18-year-old Atlanta high school student, the first pick of the 2004 NBA Draft. He will turn 37 next month.

Howard played with the Magic (2004-12), Houston Rockets (2013-16), Atlanta Hawks (2016-17), Charlotte Hornets (2017-18), Washington Wizards (2018-19), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13, 2019-20, 2021-22) and Philadelphia 76ers (2020-21).

Last season in Los Angeles, Howard averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. He has career averages of 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds.

Howard won an NBA title with the Lakers in 2020 in the pandemic-interrupted season and was named the NBA's defensive player of the year in three consecutive seasons, beginning with the 2008-09 campaign. He pulled down more than 1,000 rebounds in a season seven times. — Field Level Media/ Reuters