Dwight Howard New Nickname: D12 Ditches Superman Moniker, Calls Himself Rocket Man

Superman has left the NBA.

Having bolted Los Angeles and signed with Houston, Dwight Howard told USA Today Sports he has also officially changed his on-court nickname.

“He’s not Superman anymore,” longtime Rockets broadcaster Bill Worrell told an adoring crowd on hand for last week’s free agent acquisition news conference. “He's Rocket Man now."

Howard wasted little time in gleefully embracing his new moniker. "It means a lot to me just to have a fresh start and have an opportunity to write my own story," he told USA Today. "I don't think people understood the fact that I got traded to L.A., and now I had a chance to really choose my own destiny, and this is the place where I chose and I'm happy about it."

So happy, he passed on the chance to collect on at least $30 million more in salary by returning to L.A. With the Rockets, he inked a four-year deal worth $88 million, while the Lakers were able to offer a fifth year and a grand total of $118 million.

Howard now joins a long list of distinguished Houston big men that includes Hakeem Olajuwon, Yao Ming, Elvin Hayes and Ralph Sampson. Critics charge living up to such lofty standards is the very sort of pressure Howard always seemed to shy away from during his time in L.A.

"That's what I've always expected out of myself," he said. "Before I got injured, that's what I did every night — I dominated the game on both ends of the floor. It's not about putting up big numbers, none of that; the biggest thing is just going out there and having fun and dominating and that's what I'm going to do."

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