Dwight Howard’s Plan For Life After Basketball Probably Will Surprise You

Athletes often struggle to figure out what the next chapter of their life will be after walking away from the game. Dwight Howard, evidently, is not one of those athletes.

The Charlotte Hornets center recently down with Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins, which included a conversation about Howard’s plan for life after basketball. While many likely view the charismatic star as tailor-made for television, Howard plans to pursue another one of his passions: farming.

“My dad grew up in the country, and whenever we drove to my grandma’s house, I was always fascinated by the farms we passed, how neat everything was,” Howard told Jenkins. “I want to go out there, milk the cows, work the field. I’ll be able to tell you what watermelon came from what row.”

Howard already has purchased a 700-acre farm in his home state of Georgia, where he grows squash, okra, tomatoes, figs, eggplant and cantaloupe. Not only does Howard have bigger plans for his farm, he hopes to make a difference with the next generation in terms of agriculture.

“Everything is going to be organic, no pesticides,” Howard said. “We want to be in grocery stores, but I’d also like to organize a program where agriculture students at Georgia and Georgia Tech can come up and study the soil. This will be a place for my kids and their kids but also the community.”

Thumbnail photo via Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports Images