Dwight Howard Says He Can Tell if Someone's 'Sexy' By How They 'Carry Their Swag': 'You've Got to Be Confident' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Frazer Harrison/Getty; Disney/Eric McCandles/Getty

Frazer Harrison/Getty; Disney/Eric McCandles/Getty

While looking back at how far he’s come since being named one ofTeen PEOPLE’s Sexiest Guys Everin 2004, the former NBA player — who iscurrently competingonDancing with the Starsseason 33, partnering withDaniella Karagach— admitted that he’s “never thought” about being admired in that way.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘oh my God, you’re my celebrity crush’ and stuff like that,” he tells PEOPLE, admitting that the idea is still “crazy” to think about. “It is an honor if somebody sees you and they like what they see. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

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While everyone’s definition of sexy may vary, no matter what, Howard, 38, says “confidence” is “key.”

“You’ve got to be confident… If you don’t have that confidence, how is somebody else going to have confidence in you?” he explains. “You got to believe in yourself. And that belief, people can feel it. That’s the energy that I’m talking about.”

The athlete continues, “Your aura stands out and I think when someone has that energy, when they walk into the room or when you’re around people, people can sense it. They can feel it and then they know, ‘Hey, that’s a sexy person.'”

Nowadays, when he thinks about what kind of qualities make someone sexy, Howard says it’s all about how people “carry themselves” and their “energy.”

“Like I said, [it’s about] their aura,” he says. “You could be wearing just some short set, a shirt, but [it’s] just how you carry yourself. I know who am, and I got it going on. I’m sexy. So that’s how I want to see somebody I can look at and say, ‘Okay, yeah, they got it.'”

“It’s right there. Because [of] how they carry their swag,” he adds.

Swag is on display during his current stint onDWTS: “I love dancing, my mom was always dancing, he says. “I’ve been wanting to be on this show for the last couple of years, just things never seem to work for my schedule and stuff like that. And now, this year, they asked me, I’m here and I want to make the most of it and enjoy it every moment, because you can’t get back these moments.”

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In 2004, Howard was named Teen PEOPLE’s Sexiest Guys Ever after he became the NBA’s No. 1 draft pick. At the time, the magazine noted his “gorgeous smile” as one of the many reasons he deserved the title.

He eventually turned his pick into an 18-year NBA career and played in the league until 2022. He’s since taken his talents to Asia, becoming a player and partial owner of the Taiwan Mustangs in The Asian Tournament.

“I was able to travel the world, go to China, Africa, Greece, Europe, just all over the world,” he says. “I’ve been able to meet some of the greatest people, and it’s just been amazing. It’s all because of that one dream, I had to play basketball.”

source: people.com