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The saga between Dwight Howard and Masin Elije appears to be over after the NBA legend dropped his lawsuit against the social media influencer. Elije also broke his silence for the first time since Howard decided to not pursue any legal actions against him.
According to Radar Online, Howard's camp dropped the lawsuit about a month after a judge in Georgia declined to throw out Stephen Harper's sexual assault case against him. The three-time NBA DPOY argued that his sexual encounters with Harper were consensual.
Regardless of what happens in that case, Elije is happy that it was proven that he wasn't lying about Howard.
"No lies were told, and no money is owed! Love that for a muf**ka that NEVER lies."
Masin Elije first made headlines in late 2018 after claiming that he was in a relationship with Dwight Howard. They broke up because Howard cheated on him with a transgender woman named Kitty, who was also named in Stephen Harper's lawsuit.
Elije then filed a lawsuit less than a year later when a man named Calvin Simmons began threatening him. Simmons wanted him to sign a non-disclosure agreement and some payment to keep quiet. Elije filed a lawsuit because he was fearing for his safety from Howard and Simmons, but it was dismissed last year.
Howard countersued him for invasion of privacy, libel and slander, which he has now withdrawn. Elije's lawyers Olga Izmaylova and Sadeer Sabbak released a statement regarding the withdrawal:
"Yes, Mr. Howard's attorneys filed a dismissal with the court, so that case is now closed," the statement read.
"I don't want to speculate on what Mr. Howard is thinking but I will say that his claims in the matter and his defenses in the Harper matter are inconsistent with one another."
Also Read: What happened with Dwight Howard and Masin Elije? Incident revisited amid Stephen Harper lawsuit
Where is Dwight Howard now?
Dwight Howard has not announced his retirement from basketball and last played in the NBA for the LA Lakers during the 2021-22 NBA season.
He averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a backup center. He was linked to several teams in the offseason, including the Golden State Warriors, but nothing came to fruition.
He has been on a world tour since last season, playing for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan. He suited up for Strong Group Athletics in the Philippines for the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Howard expressed interest in playing for the Philippine Basketball League but remains ineligible.
The one-time NBA champion then took his talents to Puerto Rico, signing with the Mets de Guaynabo. He replaces DeMarcus Cousins, who joined the Taoyuan Leopards earlier this year.
