Sports Illustrated put me on the cover of its NBA playoff preview edition this week, but they wondered in the article if I could ever be serious enough to lead the Magic to a NBA title.

Trust me, that magazine will be going up on my mirror at home. But it will be there to serve as motivation for me in the playoffs. I want to show people that I can dominate AND have fun at the same time.

I remember three years back someone locally wrote that they hoped that I never lost my smile that I flash from time to time while I’m playing. But now, a few years later, my smiling and having fun on the court is seen as negatives? C’mon man, I just don’t get that.

People who watch the games sometimes take my kindness for weakness, but I don’t think the guys on the floor playing against me feel the same way. I can smile and still get the job done.

I’ve been smiling my whole life and I’m not going to stop. Basketball brings me joy and I’m having fun blocking shots and dunking, so I am going to smile. It’s not going to stop me from being who I am. I’m not going to change it for anybody.

My coach understands that my personality is to smile and have fun. I’m going to smile, but I’m going to get the job done too.

I just can’t play angry. I’ve tried it, but it only works for a couple of minutes. I have to smile, that’s just me. My dad use to try to stop me from smiling when I was growing up, but then he realized that basketball is my sanctuary. I’m going to smile and have fun, but at the same time I’m still going to dunk on you.