where was dwight howard born?
Atlanta
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 Howard 's grandmother , Jannie Mae Howard , was the daughter of sharecroppers from Belzoni , Mississippi . She had four daughters by her 19th birthday , including Howard 's mother Helena . Helena was an employee at a Chicago restaurant when she became pregnant with Juwan . Howard 's father , Leroy Watson , had just returned from the Army to a phone company job in Chicago . The two married quickly once they realized Helena was pregnant . For Howard 's first week of life , his high school junior mother kept him in a drawer at Jannie Mae 's house . Helena , who was 17 years old , did not want to be restricted or burdened raising her child , so Jannie Mae adopted him . His biological father , Leroy Watson , Jr . , wanted to name him Leroy Watson , III , but his grandmother rejected the suggestion , insisting on Juwan Antonio Howard . Although his mother visited on occasion as he was growing up , his grandmother raised him , along with two cousins . Howard has no siblings and is not close to his biological parents ; his grandmother was the primary influence in his life . He moved with her to several low @-@ income Chicago South Side projects ; she kept him out of trouble and away from gangs as he was growing up . One of their residences was a three @-@ bedroom apartment on 69th Street on the South Side of Chicago . As he blossomed under his grandmother 's influence and discipline , he became her " pride and joy " . 

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 According to a DNA analysis , he is a descendant through African ancestral lines of the Igbo people of Nigeria . 

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 Growing into adolescence , he was said to strongly resemble his Hawaiian mother . Robert G. Carter gave a brief description of his appearance in wartime letters first published in 1897 : 

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 Growing into adolescence , he was said to strongly resemble his Hawaiian mother . Robert G. Carter gave a brief description of his appearance in wartime letters first published in 1897 : 

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 Howard was the president of Vocational 's Senior Boys ' Council . In the final days before his senior season decision regarding his college basketball team , Howard wavered between Arizona State and Michigan . He also made an official visit to Dayton . Despite the ongoing recruiting scandal , he made an unofficial visit to Illinois , which had recruited four of the five previous Chicago Public School League Illinois Players of the Year . At the time of his decision , Howard was considered one of the top five seniors in the country , but unlike many top basketball recruits , he decided not to hold a press conference to announce his choice . Although the official signing period was set for November 14 – 21 , 1990 , he selected Michigan on November 2 . Howard 's grandmother died of a heart attack a few hours after he announced that he would attend Michigan , and he moved in with his high school coach , Richard Cook . 
