"Never consensual if you surprise somebody": Rapper Mase lambasts Dwight Howard amid ongoing s*xual assault allegations

Dwight Howard finds himself at the heart of a civil lawsuit alleging that he s*xually assaulted another man back in the summer of 2021. The NBA vet showed out in Taiwan last season, putting forth a number of impressive performances, but he has yet to sign with an NBA team.

This off-season, reports indicated that Howard had worked out with the Golden State Warriors, with things reportedly going well. Despite that, at the end of the multi-day workout with the team, reports surfaced indicating that the Warriors were not going to sign Howard.

From the sound of things, the team wanted to keep their options open heading into the season. While it's no secret that their roster could use a veteran big man, the team made it clear that Howard was not the player they were searching for.

Now, with Dwight Howard on the receiving end of a civil lawsuit that alleges s*xual assault, many have begun to wonder whether or not the situation has played a part in his inability to sign with a team.

On a recent episode of 'It Is What It Is', hip-hop icons Mase and Cam'ron discussed the situation with Treasure Wilson. Mase weighed in, saying:

"There's about 30 teams that did not sign Dwight Howard because it matters, so let's dispel that. That's the first thing we got to dispel. The second thing is that it's consensual. It's never consensual if you surprise somebody."

"He said, 'It's consensual,' so just think you're somewhere, you're with somebody and somebody walk out of the side door with a leprechaun outfit on. It's no longer consensual."

Looking at the allegations against Dwight Howard

This week, reports indicated that Dwight Howard had been hit with a civil lawsuit and accused of s*xual assault. According to court documents, back in 2021, a man named Stephen Harper initiated a direct message with Dwight Howard on Instagram.

Things turned s*xual in nature, which led to Harper taking an Uber to Howard's house. There, he alleges that things were far from consensual.

Allegations made against Howard suggest that he inflicted emotional distress on Harper and falsely held him against his will. Of course, given that the suit is civil, Harper is not looking to put Howard behind bars.

Since the allegations surfaced, Howard has continued to deny that things were non-consensual while also denying that he harmed Harper in any way.

With the 2023–24 NBA season underway, the case could have a serious impact on Howard's hopes to make it back into the NBA. While he is considered innocent until proven guilty, the shocking allegations will likely keep NBA teams away until things play out in court.