Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cade Cunningham Get Dwight Howard’s Stamp of Approval as HOFer Struggles With NBA2K

Joseph Galizia | 26/09/2025
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots on Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena.

Dwight Howard may have been out of the NBA since 2021, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still plugged into the league. Superman watches closely, and has even started tracking who he would call his current favorite players in the league.

The Hall of Famer spoke on this topic during a recent interview with Malika Andrews on ESPN. When the question of who Howard liked was brought up, the eight-time All-Star revealed that he has two, but only because of NBA 2K.

“In 2K I do. I have two. Obviously you got to go with the #1 cause he’s code on this, Shai. But Cade Cunningham from Detroit. He is on code on 2K,” stated Dwight.  Of course SGA is a good choice in 2K. He is the reigning MVP and Finals MVP. His OVR rating is the highest in the game at 98 while Cade’s is a respectable 92.

Howard unfortunately, is not the best at the acclaimed video game. “I’m just learning how to play so if anybody can help me because I can not shoot for green on nothing,” he admitted. Funnily enough, he later joked that his failure at shooting in the game is sort of like his shooting skills in real life.

“I guess it’s been a problem my whole life. I can’t get the green button for nothing in real life or in 2K.” While it’s a great joke, it’s also quite true. Howard was known for his shutdown defense and his powerful game inside the paint. But shooting? Not necessarily his strong point.

It’s also cool to see Superman shout out Cunningham, especially since the two men have a history. Back in 2023, Dwight trolled Cade by inviting him to play in the Taiwanese league shortly after the Pistons star claimed that Detroit was one of the best teams in the NBA.

It’s classic Dwight. Always keeping things light while still showing love for the next generation. Even though he’s no longer battling in the paint, you can tell he still follows the league closely and respects the young stars making noise.

And honestly, picking SGA and Cade makes sense. One is already dominating the league, and the other is a rising star with all the tools to get there. Leave it to Howard to blend a little humor, some 2K chatter, and real hoops knowledge into one answer.

Both Cade and Shai have big years coming up. SGA is trying to bring OKC back to the Finals for the chance to go back-to-back.

And Cade is hopeful that he can get the Pistons through the first round after losing to the Knicks last postseason. With only a few weeks left until preseason, the NBA can’t come back soon enough.

Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Cade Cunningham Dwight Howard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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