Kentucky MBB commit Somto Cyril works out with Dwight Howard

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kentucky-mbb-commit-somto-cyril-works-out-dwight-howard — Photo via Overtime Elite

New Kentucky men’s basketball commit Somto Cyril is putting in some work with one of the game’s all-time greatest big men.

Over the weekend, Cyril and future Hall-of-Fame center Dwight Howard linked up for some offseason workouts at the Overtime Elite facility in Atlanta, GA. The two were filmed going through routine drills such as post-ups, pick-and-rolls, and mid-range jumpers. After the practice session was over, Cyril and Howard dapped each other up while exchanging some kind words.

Cyril, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound four-star class of 2024 center, committed to the Wildcats on June 28. He captioned a workout video on his Instagram with “Hall of Fame work, Trust the process.”

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A post shared by LIGHT (@somtocyril)

Somto working with the legend DWIGHT HOWARD 🤝 @DwightHoward @somto_cyril pic.twitter.com/qhPGInswxX
— Overtime Elite (@OvertimeElite) July 2, 2023

Howard is an ideal player for Cyril to model his game after before he enters the college level. Both players use their incredible size and physicality to dominate in the post. While their shooting range is limited to a few feet outside of the paint, Howard was an MVP candidate during his prime in the NBA while mainly making a living inside the arc. Cyril is a comparable archetype to Howard in plenty of ways and figures to make a similar impact at the next level.

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For those unfamiliar with Howard’s resume, the now 37-year-old came into the NBA out of high school as the No. 1 draft pick and immediately made his mark as a member of the Orlando Magic. The 6-foot-10 behemoth was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2004-05 before going on to make eight All-Star Game appearances, eight All-NBA Teams, and five All-Defensive Teams. Howard was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year for three straight seasons (2009-11) and even won the Dunk Contest in 2008.

Howard, who now plays for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan, also won an NBA championship in 2020 during the twilight of his career when he was a backup center for the Los Angeles Lakers (suiting up behind former Wildcat big Anthony Davis). Although he’s no longer playing in the NBA, he’s still considered one of the league’s all-time best centers and a consensus future Hall-of-Fame selection.

Having Cyril pick up a tip or two from Howard certainly isn’t a bad idea.