Dwight Howard Girlfriend Rumors: Is The Newest Laker Dating Ciara?

Dwight Howard only signed with the Los Angeles Lakers just last week, but it appears that his time in Hollywood recovering from an injury has been put to good use, as the newest rumor is that he is dating R&B singer Ciara.

Ciara has been romantically linked to everyone from rappers TI and 50 Cent to New York Knicks star Amare Stoudemire, but she's been off the market ever since her short-lived dalliance with ended Amare last year.

Now it appears she has moved on to the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Mr. Superman himself, aka D12, aka Dwight Howard, according to MediaTakeOut.com.

The gossip site reported Wednesday that "a snitch, who is close to Ciara," Dwight Howard and Ciara -- the sultry voice behind hit songs like "Oh" and "1, 2 Step" -- "have gone on "a couple of dates" together, and that they are looking to keep the whole thing under wraps for now.

As the source reportedly told MediaTakeOut.com: "Dwight is VERY conscious about how the public sees him . . . and he wants to be sure that him and Ciara are serious before he goes public with her."

Dwight Howard has been a key member of the Orlando Magic for years, but he is itching to get a championship ring, and he believes that with the help of star players like Kobe Bryant and Metta World Peace, he may be able to do just that with the Lakers.

The question is: is Dwight Howard planning to put a ring on Ciara's finger sometime soon? It's way too soon to speculate, but stranger things have happened (like seeing D12 in Lakers purple-and-gold.)