Dwight Howard is set to become a member of the Houston Rockets on July 10, the day when the 2012-13 NBA season salary cap is officially set into motion. While many question whether it was the Los Angeles Lakers methodology in recruiting Howard influenced his decision, little has been said about the Rockets' unique approach to swaying momentum to better suit their chances to land the All-Star.
A key contributor to the recruitment of Howard was 24-year old forward Chandler Parsons, according to Forbes.com.
"Chandler was relentless," explained a source close to the situation to FORBES. "[Chandler] called and texted [Dwight] every day, even face-timed and would answer every question Dwight could potentially have. We would drive to his house in the hills and talk to him. Basically Chandler Parsons recruited him like Nick Saban and a 5-star defensive tackle; they hardly knew each other at beginning of process."
A couple weeks ago Parsons spoke with the Houston Chronicle, and offered insight on his role in trying to recruit Howard. He said that he talks with Howard on a daily basis via text messaging, and hinted to having a strong bond with the Lakers' center.
"I talk to Dwight every day," Parsons said. "I've created a relationship with him, where I feel like we're very close. He hits me up about everything. I've covered pretty much every question he's had. I basically tell him, 'We have a chance to be really good without you next year. We're going to have a good season. Why not come and join us, join our core guys who are for sure to be here and make us great, make us contend for a championship?"
Howard elaborated on his decision process, saying that he was often torn between the Lakers and Rockets, but needed one thing to help keep himself at peace with his choice.
"It was on the Fourth of July," Howard said. "That's when I felt it was Houston. I was in Colorado. It seemed like every person that I met was from Houston. It was just so ironic. I'd walk around. Someone would ask for a picture. They'd give me a business card and it would say Houston on it. I was like, "Is everybody in Colorado from Houston right now?' It was unbelievable.
"I was like, 'You know what, this has to be from God.' You pray for things to happen. You pray for signs, for God to show you things. It just seemed like, this was it."
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