Dwight Howard and his son
Brian Schmitz and Tim Povtak | Sentinel Staff Writers
11:16 PM EST, January 11, 2008
Orlando Magic all-star center Dwight Howard acknowledged Friday that he has become a first-time father of a baby boy born Nov. 18 at Orlando's Winnie Palmer Hospital.
"I'm not going to deny it. Yes, I have a son," Howard, 22, told the Orlando Sentinel after the team's shoot-around in Denver. "It's just my personal life. Yes, I'm excited about it, but I'd like to keep my personal life personal."
The mother is Royce Reed, a former Orlando Magic dancer.
Reed was a member of the Magic's dance team at least during the 2005-2006 season, according to club's Web site. She attended Dr. Phillips High School and Florida A&M University, and wrote on her Magic bio that she performed with the Orlando Ballet.
She danced for the Miami Heat during the 2006-07 season, according to the Heat's Web site.
Juanita Reed, Royce Reed's mother, said the baby, Braylon, was born three weeks early.
"She's doing great," Juanita Reed said Friday. "Royce and Dwight are very happy. They are very good friends. How close they are, well, you'd have to talk to them.
"I'm just the grandma. It was not something that was planned. It was a beautiful surprise, though."
It will also be a surprise to many Magic fans even though the Sentinel carried a birth announcement for Braylon Joshua Robert Howard on Dec. 23. There was no mention of the father's name.
Juanita Reed said the baby weighed six pounds, seven ounces and was 18 ¼ inches long. She said he originally was due on Dec. 8 — Howard's birthday.
Royce Reed did not immediately return a call from the Sentinel on Friday.
Howard came to the Magic as the first overall choice in the 2004 draft and has steadily improved each year to where he is easily one of the best players in the NBA. He signed a contract extension this season believed to be worth $85 million over five seasons.
Howard, who says on his Web site (dwighthoward.com) that he is a devout Christian, has enjoyed a fan-friendly image since joining the league and has never been linked to any off-court controversy. The 6-foot-11 center has seen his endorsement potential grow as he has developed into one of the NBA's bright young stars.
He is expected to make his first start for the Eastern Conference in next month's NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. He is the leading vote-getter among centers in either the conference with more than 1.4 million votes.
And I know the fam wants to know so here goes the mother:
Hopefully D12 won't feel the need to have an unrealistic image. Nothing bad about this, just puts things in perspective when you have made your image into something so wholesome. My bet is he goes the MJ route and marries her to protect his image.
My bad, I know a source is needed for credibility....http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-bk-howard011108,0,580490.story?coll=orl_tab01_layout
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