Chandler Parsons Takes Credit for Dwight Howard Choosing Rockets

Before the Houston Rockets’ courtship of Dwight Howard even officially began, Parsons was texting him, appealing to Superman’s championship side. Now that Howard is a officially a Rocket, he’s making sure everyone knows it may not have happened without him.

Speaking with reporters at USA Basketball mini camp, Parsons candidly admitted that he was a driving force behind Dwight spurning the Los Angeles Lakers in favor of the Rockets, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears:

“I think I had a big impact,” Parsons said at USA Basketball’s mini-camp. “The first thing he said at the press conference was that, ‘You guys should thank Chandler Parsons because he is a big reason why I am here.’

“Obviously, he loves the team, [general manager] Daryl Morey, coach [Kevin] McHale and all that. But I think I just gave him that comfort that you got one of your boys here who is also a key part to the team, a young guy. And we can grow on this for a long time.”

Hopefully everyone has thanked Parsons like Howard said. I’m hearing he accepts kickbacks in the form of hair products and skinny jeans (kidding).

At the risk of sounding too serious over something so lighthearted, one has to wonder what happens if Parsons isn’t as integral a recruiter.

Rarely did you hear anything about James Harden pestering the behemoth. Though we don’t know what went on behind the scenes, it seems the always fashionably dressed Parsons gave Howard the most fervid sales pitch of anyone.

I mean, for Dwight to mention him at the press conference, whatever the stretch forward did had to be pretty huge. Howard is known for his jokes, but Parsons isn’t kidding here. He actually believes he had a big impact, because he did.

This wasn’t Kobe Bryant telling Howard he could teach him how to win, or Mark Cuban and Dirk Nowitzki promising things may, quite possibly, eventually get better with the Dallas Mavericks.

This was Parsons, befriending Howard, and apparently, swaying his decision.

“I said I was 95 percent sure he was coming,” Parsons said. “I was comfortable enough and I could tell the way he was talking to me and how he was excited about things in Houston that I was sure he was going to come.”

Damn, it really seems like the Rockets owe Parsons a thank you. A big one. Monstrous even.

He inhabited Howard’s psyche, got a feel for his frame of mind, and was able to instruct the Rockets accordingly. Playing next to Harden and for Kevin McHale undoubtedly helped lure Howard to Houston, but I’d hazard it’s safe to say Parsons was a bigger factor than any of them. Yes, even Harden.

What if Parsons hadn’t been talking to Howard “every day?” What if his sales pitched consisted of him saying “You should come to Houston, it would be fun” and that was it? What then?

Howard may be playing for someone else, whether it be the Lakers, Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks or Golden State Warriors. True story.

So on behalf of all Rockets fans (even though I’m not one), I tip my hat to your unbridled pursuit of Houston’s newest tower, Chandler. Your methods were truly unorthodox, but undeniably effective.

Oh, and your thank you hair gel is in the mail, too.