Heyyyyyy worrrrrrld!!! A lot of people ask me all of the time about my little pregame routine that I go through before every game, so I thought I would write about it today.

Sticking with the same routine feels good and gets my mind right before the tipoff. Usually I keep everything the same, but occasionally I mix it up for some fun. Like last week in Dallas, I went over the referees and acted like I was breaking their huddle and said, `I love the refs.’ They got a good laugh out of it, and hey, I didn’t pick up a foul in the game.

Before the game, I can be silly sometimes and I love seeing if I can hit some of those crazy halfcourt shots. I’m still working on that hook from the ball rack. I’ve made a few of them, but I think this year has been my career low percentage-wise on those crazy shots. They loosen me up before the game.

Me and Jameer are usually the last two Magic players on the floor right before the tip. We have the same handshake we have done for six years and after it he pounds me on the chest and I pop him on the top of the head. It just kind of lets us know that we will be there for one another in the game.

After that, I have to be the last one to walk on the sticky paper before the game and I always tear off a fresh sheet.

When I wad up the sticky paper, I do the shake that makes people wonder what I’m going to do and it’s always good for a few laughs. The Dream Shake came from Hakeem Olajuwon. I act like I’m doing a post move, put ball between my legs, go around the back and pump-fake a couple of times. I’ve watched a lot of tapes of Hakeem the Dream, so I just wanted to do a little tribute to him and do something fun, too.

I didn’t want to do anything with powder like some other guys. I just wanted something all my own that nobody has done before. So I thought The Dwight Shake would be different!!!

Then, after I shake hands with the guys, I go off to the end of the floor and say a prayer to get myself locked in. The reason I pray is there are so many things that could go wrong on the court and I just ask God to put some angels around me and my teammates to protect us so that nobody has a serious injury.

I’ve been saying that same prayer since I got the NBA. I pray with the team before the game and I say my own prayer. I have so much to be thankful, and I just like to take that time to say thanks and ask God to watch over me.

Well, that’s my routine. People seem to really like it and it gets me ready to play, so I think I’ll stick with it.

For all of you athletes out there: What’s your pregame routine? My folks over at Gatorade are having a contest where they are going to bring the new G-Series Gatorade locker room for your team if you have the best pregame routine. Here’s more info on the event.

Make sure you send in your pregame routines so your team can have a chance to have the Gatorade G-Series locker room come by your school. Good luck! Yuuuuuaaaaaa

—D-12