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You no longer can describe Howard as a man-child because his comments following Saturday's intrasquad exhibition at the University of North Florida clearly show he's ready to drop the "child" part. I wondered how playing for the U.S. national team in the FIBA World Championship would change Howard and if being in the presence of superstar peers LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade would motivate him to take an even bigger leadership role this season. I got my answer on Saturday - but long before he answered my question about who was the Magic's leader. The intrasquad scrimmage was supposed to be nothing more than a glorified pickup game, but Howard played as if he were facing the Miami Heat. He annihilated Darko Milicic, which is no surprise. But this was important because what separates the greats from the mere mortals is they play their hardest no matter if it's Sudoku or a playoff game. The Magic have babied Howard since he arrived, but the time has come for them to let him lead the Magic the same way James, Anthony and Wade are leading the teams in their respective cities. Howard admitted that playing alongside those three this past summer made it more clear to him that his 20-year-old shoulders must carry the Magic through both calm and troubled waters. That's a significant a-ha moment for someone his age, no different than the day most of us realized asking our parents for money wasn't cool anymore. "I played with the best this summer," Howard said. "I just learned no matter what, I have to play hard and be a leader. Those guys do the little things it takes to get better. That's what I want to do." It's funny, on the cover of the media guide is side-by-side photos of Howard and Jameer Nelson, which mistakenly gives the impression these two are somehow equal. This is meant as no slight to Nelson, a fierce competitor and one of Howard's best friends, but trying to position him as the Magic's leader is like trying to shop for Rosie O' Donnell in the petite section. It just doesn't fit. Nelson isn't the guy the Magic can't afford to lose. Nelson isn't the guy the Magic need when they open their new downtown arena. Nelson isn't the one pegged as potentially being the best to ever play his position. This is a critical time for both Howard and the Magic because both have so much to prove to one another. If Howard legitimately wants to be considered in the same superstar group as James, Anthony and Wade, the next step in his development is showing he can will the Magic to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Likewise, the Magic organization must prove they can foster the proper environment for making Howard a star. A new arena is one step. A more important one is placing total faith in Howard's ability to deliver. "I think leadership is something he'll grow into," Magic Coach Brian Hill said. "It's hard to be a leader when you're 20 years of age in this league. You can lead by example. That's where it starts." Hill is wrong if he thinks Howard can survive being more show than tell. The only way the Magic will win is if he is both. |
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