All of Dwight Howard’s relationships proved that he wasn’t only a superstar on the hardwood, but he was also a woman’s man off the court. The threads of romance and companionship have woven a complex narrative that transcends his celebrated basketball career. From the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to the courts of the NBA, Dwight Howard, a name synonymous with dominance on the boards, has also courted headlines and controversies for his past relationships. Let’s take a look back at Dwight Howard’s love life and his past relationships through the years.
Royce Reed (2007)
Dwight Howard was emerging as an NBA star for the Orlando Magic. Three years after being drafted first overall in 2004, Howard, the young big man started dating the Magic’s cheerleader, Royce Reed. In November 2007, Howard and Reed gave birth to a son named Braylon. However, things slowly went downhill afterward.
Dwight Howard’s relationship with the cheerleader-turned-celebrity didn’t quite end nicely. It was a back-and-forth debacle between Howard and Reed. There were also some legal matters that heavily affected Howard’s career.
Tiffany Render (2008-2010)
In 2008, Dwight Howard would become one of the best players in the league, just behind Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. In 2009, the All-Star center would bring Orlando to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995. Behind his success on the court is another girlfriend and second baby mama, Tiffany Render.
Tiffany and Dwight’s relationship was not a happy ending. Just like his time with Reed, it was also a roller coaster ride. But, before actually breaking up, the two gave birth to a daughter named Layla Lo’Ren Howard in October 2010. But, in 2015, Render sued Howard for paternity and child support. A few months later, both camps reached an agreement.
Hope Alexa ( 2009-2011)
Shortly after splitting with Tiffany Render, DH12 started courting fitness influencer, Hope Alexa. She had a daughter with Dwight in December 2010 named Jayde, just three months after Dwight’s second child Layla was born.
Alexa and her daughter are currently living in Canada. They have tried to keep away from the limelight and live a very private life, away from the shadow of the former NBA player.
Camilla Poindexter, Marion Denise Douglas, and Teanna Trump in the same year (2012)
Dwight Howard’s relationship status skyrocketed after a busy year in 2012. In the same year, he had three different girlfriends. After having his 4th child with Christine Vest, he was then connected to three beautiful women – Camilla Poindexter, Marion Denise Douglas, and Teanna Trump.
Poindexter is an American TV personality/model, while Teanna Trump is famous for being an adult film star. Surely, Dwight only had short flings with all of them.
Christine Vest (2012-2013)
In 2013, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year already had three children from three different women in the last 5 years. But, the 8-time All-Star isn’t stopping yet.
After his rumored relationship with Teanna Trump, he jumped another ship with gospel singer Christine Vest. He adds another kid and brings in his 4th child with a 4th baby mama. Vest gave birth to a baby boy named Dwight “Trey” Howard III on June 15, 2013.
Melissa Rios (2013)
In December 2013, Dwight Howard completed his starting five (pun intended) after he got his 5th child. There were rumors he dated Melissa Rios while subsequently impregnating Christine Vest a year earlier. In December 2013, just six months after his son Trey was born, Melissa and Dwight would be blessed with a boy, David Howard.
However, Melissa unfortunately passed away in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic due to an epileptic seizure.
Celina Powell (2015)
Dwight Howard and YouTuber Celina Powell reportedly dated briefly in 2015. But, very little is known about their short relationship.
Te’a Cooper (2018-2021)
Somehow, Dwight’s most successful relationship was with WNBA player Te’a Cooper. Well, it really wasn’t that successful, but given how his past relationships went, we could say this one stayed longer and they even got married. There were some reports that Dwight already got married years before to a woman named Emili, but no pieces of evidence support the wedding.
The 2020 WNBA 18th overall pick Te’a Cooper started a relationship with the NBA legend in 2018. A year later, in 2019, the couple got engaged and then secretly tied the knot in 2020. However, in April 2021, they broke up and filed for divorce. They were only married for five months. At the time, the break-up was surrounded by controversy after Howard allegedly cheated on Cooper during their time together as husband and wife.
Probably the most controversial of Dwight Howard’s relationships is an openly g*ay man named Masin Elije (2018)
Yes, Dwight Howard didn’t just date women, he also had relationships with men. Five years ago, these were just rumors, but with the current s*xual assault case filed by a man named Stephen Harper against him in 2023, the rumors might have been true after all.
It’s also worth remembering that Dwight Howard was also involved in another controversy with an openly g*y man named Masin Elije. In November of 2018, Elije revealed that he was dating Howard. However, their relationship ended after finding out that Howard was cheating on him with “other men”. But, it did not end there. Elije filed a lawsuit against Howard for harassing him and threatening him to sign a non-disclosure agreement never to reveal the relationship in public.
In 2019, in an interview with Fox Sports, the 8-time All-Star publicly denied being g*y. This makes you wonder, with the current Stephen Harper lawsuit, Dwight Howard may have been lying to everyone all these years.
"I'm not gay… It hurt at first to go through it. I sat at home and I was like 'I never want to come outside again.'" @DwightHoward spoke on the allegations that he was gay.
(🎥: @FairGameonFS1 | @KristineLeahy) pic.twitter.com/WcXz2WtOfY
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) July 16, 2019
