Josh Howard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Josh Howard

Howard with the Dallas Mavericks in 2008
UNT Dallas Trailblazers
Head coach
Personal information
Born	(1980-04-28) April 28, 1980 (age 45) Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	Robert B. Glenn (Kernersville, North Carolina) Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Virginia)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	Wake Forest (1999–2003)
NBA Draft	2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 29th overall
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks
Pro career	2003–2014
Coaching career	2016–present
League	NAIA
Career history
As player:
2003–2010	Dallas Mavericks
2010–2011	Washington Wizards
2011–2012	Utah Jazz
2012	Minnesota Timberwolves
2013–2014	Austin Toros
As coach:
2016–2020	Piedmont International
2020–present	UNT Dallas
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (2007) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2004) Consensus first-team All-American (2003) ACC Player of the Year (2003) First-team All-ACC (2003) Second-team All-ACC (2001) Third-team All-ACC (2002) No. 5 retired by Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Career NBA statistics
Points	7,270 (14.3 ppg)
Rebounds	2,886 (5.7 rpg)
Assists	817 (1.6 apg)

Joshua Jay Howard (born April 28, 1980) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He is currently the head coach for the UNT Dallas Trailblazers men's basketball team. Before becoming a coach, he played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He then played for 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), mostly with the Dallas Mavericks.

Early Life and Challenges

Josh Howard was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was mainly raised by his grandmother, Helen Howard. When he was very young, before his second birthday, Josh had a condition called bowed legs. His legs needed to be broken and reset twice to help them straighten.

High School and Academy Years

Josh went to Glenn High School in Kernersville, North Carolina. In his senior year, he was chosen as a First-Team All-State player. He was known for averaging six blocks per game and shooting 70% from the field. During his junior and senior years, he also averaged a double-double (meaning he had double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds). He won the Frank Spencer Award twice, which is given to the best player in Northwest North Carolina.

To get into Wake Forest University, Josh needed a certain score on his SAT test. He didn't get the score he needed. So, he spent a year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia. There, he continued to play great basketball. He averaged 19.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, helping Hargrave achieve a 27–3 record. He also shot 56% from the field, 44% from the three-point line, and 85% from the free throw line.

College Career at Wake Forest

In 1999, Josh chose to play for Wake Forest University. He picked Wake Forest because it was close to his family and friends. He studied sociology and had a minor in international studies. In his first year, he played in almost all games and was a starter in most of them. He led his team with 44 steals and averaged 9.1 points per game.

During his second year, Josh was named to the second-team All-ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference). He led his team in scoring with 13.6 points per game. In his junior year, he earned third-team All-ACC honors.

Josh decided to return for his senior year at Wake Forest. This was a big achievement, as he was the first person in his family to graduate from college. In 2003, he was named the ACC Player of the Year. This was a huge honor, as he was the first player to win it from Wake Forest since 1975. He helped lead Wake Forest to win its first league championship in 41 years.

Josh was also one of only two ACC players to achieve impressive stats: over 1000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 200 steals, 100 blocks, and 100 three-pointers. He won several national player of the year awards and was a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and the James Naismith Award. In his senior season, he averaged 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. He was also named to the AP First Team All-America.

Professional Basketball Career

Dallas Mavericks (2003–2010)

Josh Howard getting ready to shoot a free throw in 2008.

Josh Howard was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft, as the 29th overall pick. In his first year, he played in 67 games and started 29 of them. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, which earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie 2nd team.

In his second season, Josh started playing more when another player, Marquis Daniels, was injured. Josh became a starter at small forward. He averaged 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.53 steals per game that season.

During the 2005–06 NBA season, Josh had his highest scoring average yet, with 15.6 points per game. He also shot very well from the three-point line. He helped the Mavericks reach the 2006 NBA Finals. In Game 5 of the Finals, there was a confusing moment when referees said Josh called a timeout. This meant the Mavericks had to start their next play from their own end of the court, making it harder to score.

In 2006, Josh was invited to join Team USA for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He decided not to go, choosing instead to run his annual youth basketball camp in his hometown.

In the 2006–07 NBA season, Josh had a great year, averaging 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds. His strong play helped the Dallas Mavericks achieve an excellent 67–15 record. At first, he wasn't chosen for the All-Star game, but after some players got injured, he was added to the team. Many people, including basketball legend Magic Johnson, felt he should have been an All-Star from the start. On December 8, 2007, Josh scored a career-high 47 points in a game against the Utah Jazz.

Washington Wizards (2010–2011)

In February 2010, Josh was traded to the Washington Wizards. Unfortunately, in March 2010, he had surgery for a torn ACL (a knee injury) that he got in a game. This injury meant he would miss several months of play.

Utah Jazz (2011–2012)

In December 2011, Josh signed a one-year contract with the Utah Jazz.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2012)

In November 2012, Josh signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, he suffered another torn ACL in December 2012 and was waived by the team. This game turned out to be his last in the NBA.

Austin Toros (2013–2014)

After his time in the NBA, Josh signed with the San Antonio Spurs in October 2013 but was waived a day later. He then joined the Austin Toros, a team in the NBA Development League. He was waived by the Toros in February 2014 due to another injury. In July 2014, he played for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Summer League.

Coaching Career

In July 2016, Josh Howard became the head coach for Piedmont International University's basketball team. He coached them for four seasons. In April 2020, he was hired as the head coach for the University of North Texas at Dallas men's basketball team, which started playing as an NAIA member in the 2020–21 season.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and Achievements

• ACC Player of the Year: 2003
• All ACC First Team: 2003
• ACC All-Defensive Team: 2003
• AP First Team All-America: 2003
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team: 2004
• NBA All-Star: 2007

See also

In Spanish: Josh Howard para niños