Sport

NBA star Dwight Howard ‘set free’ by gay rumours

Jul 17 2019
Written by PinkNews Reporter

It hurt at first to go through it. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

NBA player Dwight Howard has told how he was ‘hurt’ by questions over his sexuality — but ultimately gay rumours set him free.

In an interview with Fox Sports 1 show Fair Game he confirmed that he is not gay, but explained how questions over his sexuality had shown him the reality of closeted gay sports stars.

“It hurt at first to go through it,” he said. “It hurt. I sat at home and I was like, ‘Man, I’ll never want to come outside again.’ I’m like, ‘Why?'”

Explaining further he said: “I saw all the hate, the pure hate, from people that I never met before just pile up everywhere I went against me… and that liberated me because I saw hoe a lot of people would feel, whether they’re gay or they’re straight, whether they have issues.”

“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

Questions over his sexuality came to light after a lawsuit was filed against him by Masin Elije.

Elije claimed that Howard has threatened him after he allegedly refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement “regarding their communication.”

According to TMZ, the lawsuit states: “Mr Elije started receiving threats to his safety and well-being via a multitude of phone calls, text messages, communications on various social media platforms and emails, all of which were from unfamiliar or disguised sources.”

Howard denies these allegations.

In the two-part interview due to air today (July 17) and Thursday he explained: “People are afraid to be who they are. They’re afraid to step out and be… because they are afraid of what other people might say or think about them.