NBA All-Star Dwight Howard, LA Lakers, Xbox Aim To Inspire Youth With Cutting Edge Gaming Lab

As a new generation of gaming emerges, Xbox continues its efforts to power dreams by announcing the expansion of its sponsorship with the NBA franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers.

In celebration, the Microsoft-owned video game company teamed up with philanthropist and NBA All-Star Dwight Howard to remodel part of the Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley into a new state-of-the-art gaming lab called Dreams Space.

The multipurpose lab features new artwork, custom purple and gold Xbox Series S consoles, gaming PCs, and screens. The youth get to experience the joy of gaming while exploring their passions.

“I am partnering with Xbox and the Lakers to produce this game lab just to give these kids a chance to dream and think big,” Howard shared in a statement. “I know how much the Lakers mean to me but also Xbox. I’ve been playing the game for a lot of years now. It’s just kind of opened up my eyes to different games, but also it’s inspired me to want to continue to play this sport that I love and play here in LA. So, I’m very thankful to be partnering with two great companies who’ve been around for a very long time, and they’re kind of the champions in their own field.”

A youth and family-oriented nonprofit organization, the Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley offers programs that help promote the educational, vocational, social, and character development of boys and girls between 6 and 17. According to its website, the club aims to “inspire and empower all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.”

In its history, the SFV Boy & Girls Club has been serving the San Fernando Valley successfully for over 49 years and currently has a membership of over 2,500 youth.

Howard, a long-time supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, also recently surprised the kids with a private meet-and-greet. He even gifted them a rewarding opportunity to go toe-to-toe, on the court and in their favorite Xbox Game Pass titles, with the 6’10″ center and eight-time All-Star himself.

He continued: “Sports and gaming give kids a chance to dream, and they want to be something in life. And when they’re playing these games and they see these players who grew up in similar situations, they’re like, ‘Man, you know, maybe I could be a LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony or Russell Westbrook.’”