Quantcast December « 2009 « The Official Dwight Howard Blog

Archive for December, 2009

« Older Entries

Going from high school to the NBA

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Heyyyyyy worrrrrld!!! Hope all of y’all out there had a really good Christmas. We had a bad taste in our mouths from that Boston loss on Christmas Day, but some time off after that game did us some good. We actually started real slow last night, but we exploded in the second half against Milwaukee. We need to keep that up because we have a tough three-game roadtrip coming up.

Seeing Brandon Jennings play for Milwaukee last night had me thinking back to my days as a 18-year-old fresh out of high school in the NBA. They don’t let kids do that anymore, so Jennings had to go to Italy first before he could come to the NBA. He’s going to be really good someday.

Back when I was a rookie straight out of high school I was just a young buck trying to become the man that I am now. It was like a sheep being thrown out there to the wolves.

Really, it was a fun time for me because I was around a great team, a great organization and a great city. All of that stuff factored in my career and I was blessed to come to Orlando.

I had some good vets around me like Tony Battie and Grant Hill, and Jameer was a lot older than me even though we were rookies together. Otis Smith was just coming up as our GM and Stan Van Gundy was just getting here. It’s all a key factor in my success. All of those guys did a good job of molding me into the well-groomed young man that I am now.

For me, it was never hard being around those grown men even though I was a teenager because I’m such a fun guy. They enjoyed me and I learned a lot from them. Even now, getting together as a team brings joy to all of us.

I really wish high school players could still come straight to the NBA, but everybody has to go through something different to get to this level. High school to the NBA is tough physically and mentally on kids. It’s something that you have to be well prepared for.

Coming out of high school and not knowing how to manage money and deal with money and all the things that come with playing in the NBA, all those things take time to learn. You might even have to go through a couple of bad experiences to learn from them sometimes.

All of that stuff shaped me into the player and the all-around good guy that I am today. I’m laughing y’all as I write that. But I wouldn’t change a thing about the way I got to this point. College would have been a lot of fun, but I’m glad I went straight from high school to the NBA. It’s been a cool ride and I just want to keep getting better and get as many championships as I can. Hopefully this is our year.

I’m outta here y’all. Be safe out there on New Years cause that’s amateur night for a lot of people. Holla back at ya boy.

—D-12

Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter, Facebook and Superfan

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 35 Comments »

My idol, Wilt Chamberlain

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Heyyyy world!!! Hope you all had a good Christmas!!! Mine got started off bad with that ugly loss that we had against the Celtics, but it got better. I got to spend Christmas night with my son and it was so much fun watching him tear open presents.

We actually had a couple of days off after the Celtics game. It was the first time since camp started that we’ve had two days in a row off with no practice or game. I think that will help us sort of re-charge our batteries for this big stretch of games that we have coming up.

People ask me all of the time who I looked up to as a player when I was a kid. Ya’ll are gonna think this is crazy, but it was actually Wilt Chamberlain. I know he stopped playing before I was even born, but I’ve read all about him and watched highlights of him. He was, without question, the coolest big man of all time. I actually have an old article about Wilt in my locker right now and I sometimes read about him before games.

I just loved the way that Big Wilt dominated games. He changed how teams played the game and he changed how big men played the game. The paint used to real narrow, but they had to widen it because of him. He would just stand in the paint and score, so they had to change the lane and they had to change how people blocked shots because he would just go up and block every shot.

I’ve read up on Wilt and he they would just throw the ball up to him and nobody could stop him. He was so dominant that they had to change the rules for him. You know you are good when they have to change the rules to stop you.

He was unbelievable, he was talented and he was a people person. He had it all that you would want in a great player and a role model. I read up on him just because ever since I was little I’ve always admired him. One of my coaches in high school always told me that I could run and jump just like Chamberlain. And when we were in Philly last year a guy came up to me and told me that I reminded him of Chamberlain and he had played against him. To me that was a huge compliment.

I read Wilt’s book and Bill Russell’s books and those are the only two basketball books ever written that I have read. I just love those guys and want to pattern my career after theirs.

Well, I’m gonna bust up outta here. We play Milwaukee tonight and then we’re on the road for three games in Minnesota, Chicago and Indiana. It wouldn’t be a holiday if the Magic weren’t playing. We’ve already played on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and now we’ve got New Year’s Day, too. But it’s all good. Ya’ll be safe on New Yr’s.

—D-12

Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter, Facebook and Superfan

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 22 Comments »

Hanging with my man C-Booz

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Heyyyyyy worrrrld!!! Good, good win for us last night against Utah because I really look at them as one of the toughest teams in the league. Those guys get layups, pass the ball well and play really tough. But we were able to grind it out by getting a lot of contributions on offense and we played good strong defense.

With Utah in town, I got to hang out with my man, Carlos Boozer, for a little while. That guy is like my big brother and my closest friend not on the Magic. It really meant a lot to me last season in the playoffs when he was in Orlando, pulling hard for us in the playoffs against Cleveland and the Lakers. That’s my guy, C-Booz. He was at my house almost every night and I had my chef cooking us up some grub while we talked about basketball.

We became really tight back in the Olympics in China working out every day on the court and hanging together along with Chris Bosh off the court. We went at each other every day and made each other better by getting our work in.

Those guys are like my brothers and if I’m ever having a problem with anything I can hit them up for advice. It’s good to have friends like that who are a little older because they have been through some of the stuff that I haven’t experienced yet.

When Booz came to the house on Sunday, we hung out and watched a lot of the NFL games on TV. Of course, everybody was asking me if we talked about playing together since he’s going to be a free agent this summer. Of course, that would be a dream come true for both of us, but we’ll have to see what happens. Booz will have to make a decision on his own and do what’s best for him and his family. That has to come first in any decision.

We were playing a little game, talking about which other NBA great player we’d most like to play with. We were throwing out all the names like Kobe and LeBron and D-Wade and Joe Johnson. For me, I gotta say D-Wade because he’s just a really good dude and I think we’d fit well together with him on the outside and me on the inside.

Who knows if any of us will ever get a chance to play together, but I can at least think about what it would be like. It would be cool to be on the same team with one of those guys like Booz who is one of my best friends.

We’ll just have to see what happens in the future. It should be interesting.

Ya’ll be good. Hit me back on here, twitter, facebook, or Superfan. I’m singing outta here!!!

—D-12

Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter, Facebook and Superfan

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 32 Comments »

Having fun with some trick shots

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Heyyyyyy wooooooorlllllld!!! We played one of our best games of the season Wednesday against Toronto because we focused on our defense first and foremost. We all know that defense is how we’re going to get back to the Finals this year, but sometimes we forget and slip back into bad habits. But it was good to play the way we did and get some stops vs. the Raptors.

We all got to see Turk, who got a pretty nice ovation from the fans in Orlando. I don’t blame Turk for leaving last summer because he had to make a business decision for what was best for his family.

Now onto today’s real topic…When I’m out and about in the community people ask me all the time about the crazy stuff that I do before games. If ya’ll watch me close, I’m firing up shots from the ball rack at halfcourt and I’m doing silly dunks in the pregame layup line. We work so hard all the time, I really think that’s a time when I can sort of just relax, have fun and get my mind right before the game.

I usually get in most of my work before the fans even get in their seats. I’m working out, shooting free throws and getting up post-up shots. So when the game is about to start you can’t wait to get going. So to try and relax I’m shooting my half-court shots and my one-handed shots and my shots sitting down.

I think our team is kind of known for hitting those trick shots before games. There will come a time in a game, trust me, when one of those shots will come in handy and I’ll make one.

Me, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus shoot half-court shots every day at the end of practice, and we make them a lot more than you might think. When we make them before the game, I always hear the ooooohs and aaaaaahs from the crowd. It sort of gets them going and it gets me going too.

So it’s just all about having fun and getting my mind right to play. Of course, I gotta do my Dream Shake with the sticky paper before every game, too. LeBron has his chalk and I have my Shake-and-Bake with the paper.

I don’t know, it’s just a routine that works for me. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? It’s fun and I’m all about having fun and winning.

We in Miami tonight for what will be a tough game, I’m sure. We owe those guys one after they beat us a couple of weeks ago. Ya’ll hit me back and let me know what you think about my pregame trick shots and I might try some of your suggestions in the next couple of weeks.

Holla.

—DWIGHT

Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter, Facebook and Superfan

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments »

Dwight becomes spokesman for AirTran Airways

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard has autographed lots of different types of memorabilia through the years for his millions of fans. But on Tuesday he added a new item to the list: A Boeing 717 airplane.

On Tuesday, Dwight became an official spokesman for AirTran Airways and was on hand as the airline unveiled an Orlando Magic-themed plane. Dwight took one of the first rides on the plane, along with several kids from the Parramore Kidz Zone, a group supported by the Dwight D. Howard Foundation.

To celebrate the addition of Dwight as a spokesman and becoming the official airline of the Magic and the new Amway Center, AirTran donated $5,000 to the Dwight D. Howard foundation and the Orlando Magic Youth Fund on Tuesday.

Dwight said he’s been in talks with Air Tran representatives about a partnership for two years, and he’s excited about joining a company that believes in him and his widespread work in the community.

“It means a lot to me. AirTran has been a great partner with the Magic and they’ve also been there to support my foundation,’’ Dwight said. “It just feels good that they believe in me. We were talking earlier about all of the stuff that we want to do for all of the underprivileged kids in Orlando. It’s really amazing that there are a lot of people out there who really care about the community and that I’m not alone.’’

Dwight joins NBA quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Matt Ryan, baseball stars Tom Glavine and Ryan Braun, IndyCar racer Danica Patrick and hockey stars Ilya Kovalchuk and Kari Lehtonen as AirTran endorsers. Dwight’s likeness will be featured in radio, online and billboard advertising in the coming months.

“Dwight Howard is one of the most outstanding young athletes in sports today. His accomplishments on the court and his community involvement off the court make him a great fit for AirTran Airways and what we strive to do as the hometown airline,’’ said Tad Hutcheson, AirTran’s VP of marketing and sales. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Dwight.’’

Dwight was in awe of the shiny, new plane painted just for the Magic. The body of the plane is blue, white and black, the tail features the Magic’s logo and the engines on both sides are adorned with the words “ORLANDO MAGIC.’’ It is the only NBA-themed plane in use today, although Air Tran does have three NFL-themed planes (Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts).

“I’ve never signed an airplane before. To know that it’s going to be one there forever, that feels good,’’ Dwight said. “It’s a really nice design. When you see it in the air you are going to know that it is a Magic plane.’’

Dwight said his partnership with AirTran will allow him to continue to make the Magic into one of the NBA’s most popular and well-known teams. Dwight helped the Magic reach the NBA Finals last June, and he wants fans outside of Florida to think of the Magic when they think of Orlando.

“The first thing I said when I got here is that I want Orlando to be well-known and not just for Disney World,’’ Dwight said. “Everybody has always thought about Disney when they have thought about our town. But I want people to know there’s more to Orlando than just Disney and that the Magic are a really good organization.’’

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments »

« Older Entries

Bad Behavior has blocked 2623 access attempts in the last 7 days.