Dwight Howard has been in the news a lot these past few days, but nothing has garnered more controversy than a video showing him pushing his son to finish his workout.

The NBA Champion sparked a heated debate among his followers regarding his parenting style. It came after he showed video of him working out and engaging in activities with his children, but in a particular clip his 9-year-old son, David, who is seen crying and begging to stop his workout.

In the video, Howard is seen coaching David through an intense session on an exercise bike as the young kid could be heard begging him to let him stop. Howard taps his son’s chest and encourages him to push through, proclaiming, “You can! Let’s go.”

Despite David crying out in pain, Howard is determined to have him push through the demanding exercise.

While some viewers applaud Howard’s tough love approach, others view it as borderline traumatizing, labeling it as child abuse.

Dwight Howard and Adrian Petersen are and always been trash humans who make babies with anyone willing to spread their legs then use that power dynamic of money and fame to force those mothers to allow them to abuse their children. Sick of both of them. https://t.co/9HYS8whWHq

— The Reverend Auntie Dr. Dre Is Back? (@iamn0tthe1) July 9, 2023

My father was literally a combination of Mister (The Color Purple) and Ike Turner.

Some people of my ilk got whoopins, we got beatings with welts that lasted for days

What Dwight Howard was doing isn’t abuse. In my situation, I escaped for the Navy as soon as I could

— Black Panther Peeps – The Return (@TheGodofwine77) July 8, 2023

That Dwight Howard video is child abuse man, there’s literally no other way to frame it. I don’t know why you would put something like that online.

— Abdul Malik, WGC (@MarxGasol) July 8, 2023

#DwightHoward pushing his son on an air assault bike. OMG! Abuse Racism Discipline how about nonsense. The guys a multimillionaire pro athlete whose always been about the gym. I’m sure his son luvs all the benefits of that life daddy provides. Keep yo family business private DH!

— TheKettlebellion???? (@KettleBellion) July 8, 2023

@DwightHoward torturing his child with child abuse slapping him and punching him in the chest forcing him to exercise great fathering skills. https://t.co/tPJ3ZQFarC

— Leroy (@promking73) July 8, 2023

In the meantime, Howard is still trying his hardest to get back into the league. During an exclusive interview with Complex, the future Hall of Famer said he still feels he can play serviceable basketball at the NBA level.

Via Complex:

“I know I can provide a team with 25 minutes of dominant basketball. And that’s not even scoring, that’s just playing defense, locking people up, protecting the paint, rebounding, and finishing around the basket. I’ve had my fun in the game. I just want to go out like a champ like I’m supposed to.”
He also listed five teams he would like to play for.
“Okay, you got Miami Heat. You got obviously, the Lakers. The Warriors. The Kings. But the Kings, I would say the Kings got a couple centers so they probably wouldn’t. But the Kings. The Hawks. I’m from Atlanta, go back home with the Hawks.”
It is not clear if Howard, who is 37 years of age, can still defend and rebound consistently and at a high enough level to attract another NBA job.

Howard has been noted as one of the NBA’s best centers of all time. He began his professional basketball career in 2004 with the Orlando Magic. He was one of the team’s premier players for eight years before heading to the Lakers in 2012.

Howard is currently playing basketball with the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan.