Dwight Howard Has Made More Enemies Than Friends During His Years-Long Career

Among the 16 celebrity contestants to put their toughness to the test on the 2023 FOX series — Special Forces: The World’s Toughest Test — are Jamie Lynn Spears, Dr. Drew Pensky, Mel B from the Spice Girls, and NBA player Dwight Howard.

The grueling competition, which kicked off on Wednesday, Jan. 4, left even the most confident contestants in shambles — one of which was the latter. Dwight caught flack from his superiors due to his “ego,” — but this isn’t the first time the athlete has been called out for his attitude.

So, why do people hate Dwight Howard? Let's dive into his reputation.

The series premiere of Special Forces: The World’s Toughest Test saw the cast kick off their military-inspired boot camp training with a bang.

Along with being ejected from a helicopter while thousands of feet in the air, the recruits were tasked with crossing a 300-ft canyon using only a tightrope and a harness.

Ahead of the challenge, the cast was asked to rank themselves from strongest to weakest, and it’s no surprise that the NBA All-star made his way to the front of the line. Although he was the first person to attempt the challenge, he was also the first to chicken out.

Dwight had barely begun his trek across the canyon before he took himself out of the game. Later, he was confronted by Directing Staff agents in charge, who argued that Dwight’s bark was bigger than his bite and asserted that he had “more to give.”

"I'm all in. If I didn't take this serious[ly], I wouldn't be here," Dwight said in response to their criticisms.

Even before joining the cast of the Fox series, Dwight’s attitude has landed him in hot water on more than one occasion.

While Dwight’s accolades have made him one of the most highly decorated players in the NBA, he’s made a few missteps in the media along the way.

Early in his career, when Dwight played for the Orlando Magic, then-coach Stan Van Gundy expressed that he wanted the athlete fired in a pre-game interview. Within minutes, Dwight entered the chat and shut down rumors that he was on his way out.

Later, the Magic coach was fired and Dwight was traded. Upon his exit, he threw major shade at his ex-coworkers, stating that the team was “full of people that nobody wanted."

It wasn’t long before his behavior became notorious in the league. His teammates on the Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets weren’t particularly fond of the NBA star either. According to reports, he was far from beloved in the locker room.

So, will he finally learn to play nicely with others? Find out on new episodes of Special Forces: The World’s Toughest Test airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.