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Dwight Howard Leads the Favored Magic with 16.9 Points Per Game
Everyone's talking about Dwight Howard, the Magic's 21-year-old, 6-10 center on the doorstep of stardom. He's leading the league in rebounding, has the Magic in prime position to reach the playoffs and is the main reason that season-ticket sales in Orlando are up by more than 4,000. So it's no surprise that what's being said is flattering. Most of it, anyway.
He can kiss the rim. Really.
Howard: "I've done it a few times. The first time was last season in training camp. Nobody believed me so I did it again after camp. That time, I got up so high I kissed it on my way down."
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He can get bigger.
Magic G.M. Otis Smith: "He came to us at 240, and he's up to 268 ("270," Howard corrects him) and hasn't lost any of his mobility. He may not be able to get to 300 without losing any quickness, but I think he'll get to 285 without losing anything."
He may not be as nice as he seems.
Howard says he has never tasted alcohol, he's a regular at pregame chapel, and he even has addressed reporters with a "Yes, sir." But that's off the court. Eastern Conference scout: "He's got a fiery streak in him. He'll mix it up out there, and he'll talk trash just like everyone else."
He doesn't always respect his elders, either (as his boyhood idol, Kevin Garnett, found out).
G.M. Smith: "When we played at Minnesota earlier this year, they tried to play him one-on-one with Garnett. Dwight ended up with 21 points and 22 rebounds. Everyone in the league took notice that you can't play him one-on-one."
He can drop jaws with his athletic ability.
Magic coach Brian Hill: "It was a Boston game last year. We came down on a fast break at the end of the first half, he was running down the middle of the floor, and Jameer Nelson threw him a lob pass. In my mind, it was a horrible pass because it was 5 feet behind Dwight. He literally caught it with his right arm fully extended, brought it back, came through and dunked it. To me, how he even caught the ball was a miracle."
He still can be neutralized (as he was by Kwame Brown in a home loss to the LA Lakers two days after Christmas).
Kwame Brown: "Once I got my hands on a couple of those passes they were lobbing in to him, they stopped going in as much. He should have gotten more touches. But, oh, he's strong. He takes over for Elton Brand as my favorite player to play against. It's such a dogfight. I just have to keep my body on him to keep him away from the basket and let someone else go for the rebound."
And he still can act like he's 21, too.
After the loss to the LA Lakers, Howard kept reporters waiting as he checked messages, wrote a note to young Lakers center Andrew Bynum and sat moping with his head in his hands.
Nelson: "We all have to stay together, and I'll talk to him about that. Whatever you say to him, he's going to listen. That's the type of kid he is. Well, he's a man now. But that's the type of man he is." |
