While Dwight Howard now plays basketball overseas for the Taiwan Mustangs, in his heyday he was one of the NBA’s biggest stars.

The 6-foot-4 player is one of the best rebounders and centers the league has ever seen. With an NBA championship, eight All-Star nominations and three Defensive Player of the Year awards on his resume, Howard has left his mark on several franchises. But he’s currently on TV for a reason other than basketball.

Howard is a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” and made his debut last week with a salsa dance to “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan.

Dwight Howard fights for victory at Dancing With The Stars pic.twitter.com/qBkFgwC7gZ https://t.co/Wfk3Xw6uye

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) 18 September 2024

As Howard returns to television screens to show off his dancing skills, some basketball and Dancing with the Stars fans are curious about his family tree, from Howard’s parents to his children.

Here you can learn all about Howard’s parents, details about his own children and whether he is married.

MORE: What you should know about the cast of Dancing With The Stars

Who is Dwight Howard’s mother?

Howard’s mother is Sheryl Howard, a former basketball player at Morris Brown College. Both Sheryl and Howard’s father are from Atlanta. She had Dwight in December 1985.

Dwight Howard is currently 38 years old. According to Yardbarker, Howard has said in the past that he is considered a child prodigy after Sheryl suffered seven miscarriages before his birth.

Who is Dwight Howard’s father?

Howard’s father is Dwight Howard Sr., a former Georgia state police officer and athletic director at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.

Dwight Jr. attended Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy before being drafted into the NBA after high school.

MORE: “Dancing with the Stars” results from episode 1

Dwight Howard’s children

According to EssentiallySports, Howard has five children from five different mothers. He has three sons, Braylon, Dwight III and David, and two daughters, Layla and Jayde.

Is Dwight Howard married?

Howard is not currently married. He has had several well-known relationships in the past, including with the mothers of his five children.

There have also been rumors in the past about his marriage to WNBA player Te’a Cooper and their separation in 2021, but Cooper posted on social media in 2023 that she had “never been married or engaged in her life.”