Houston (CBS Houston) – “People are used to seeing me smiling, have fun, and they don’t really see the serious side of me. The other side.”

Rockets center Dwight Howard hopes the documentary about his life, Dwight Howard: In The Moment, will showcase portions of his journey to NBA superstardom people have never seen before.

Howard, among friends, family, and invited guests, premiered his documentary Sunday night. SportsRadio 610 was along for their advanced look at the behind the scenes life of the larger-than-life Rockets big man.

“I’ve always thought about having of movie of my life, but this is a little bit different,” Howard said. “Hopefully people can see the other side, like I said, of me and a lot of the things I went through to get where I am today.”

Not just basketball fans will find this documentary interesting and fun. It does a great job of establishing not just Howard’s basketball base, but who he is and how he became that person. His early life is chronicled from those closest to him and the persona if current Dwight Howard is thoroughly explained by his past.

The documentary details his time as a high-school superstar and his decision to stay at his smaller school when presented the opportunity by his family to switch to a bigger high school. Howard’s high school days give a glimpse into a type of basketball life he likes to live.

The NBA journey is detailed from various angles. Local media members, national media members, and former coaches and teammates all help paint the portrait of who Dwight Howard truly is as a person, not just an athlete.

Most interesting is Howard’s tumultuous time in the NBA. A time where he went from a fan-favorite to vilified star. The filmmakers didn’t shy away from the multiple negative lights Howard was portrayed in, nor did Howard himself. He is open, honest, and in-depth about his time with the Magic, Lakers, and ultimately Rockets.

The fascinating bright spot is chronicling his relationship with former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. The documentary even touches on Van Gundy and Howard’s infamous interaction when the coach revealed his star player was aiming to have him fired.

The thing special about this documentary, and what does and should shine through, is Howard. Rarely is there such an in-depth and extended look into Howard and his personality. He didn’t fail to venture into hard times and discuss them with raw emotion but he never let the moments become too serious. His trademark smile and laid-back attitude are ever present throughout the documentary.

Dwight Howard: In The Moment airs this Wednesday on EPIX at 7:00 pm. Below are some photos of the evening.

Howard Documentary

Howard Documentary Howard with Rockets teammate James Harden. Howard with Rockets teammate James Harden.

Howard Documentary

Howard Documentary Howard with his agent Dan Fegan (far right) and various members of the documentary team. Howard with his agent Dan Fegan (far right) and various members of the documentary team.

Howard Documentary

Howard Documentary

Howard Documentary Rockets GM Daryl Morey making an appearance at the premier. Rockets GM Daryl Morey making an appearance at the premier.

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