Published: February 19, 2009
Nothing really makes sense with Dwight Howard.
He spent a good portion of his All-Star Saturday serving McDonald’s Quarter Pounders to fans at a function and didn’t seem to mind the fact he was hours away from defending his NBA dunk title–an event that has finally become the event again.
“Oh man, I just had McDonald’s a few minutes ago–two of them (hamburgers),” said the 23-year-old phenom, who has the physique of an overgrown tight end.
It’s a time where he was last seen donning the Superman cape, soaring from the free throw line, defying our basketball sensibilities. Centers don’t do this. They don’t fly like guards and little men—and they certainly don’t do it nonchalantly, almost laughingly.
A few hours later he lost his title to a Chicken Nugget in Nate Robinson who literally leapt over Howard to hammer the final dunk in the finale (promise to end the McDonald’s references). But Howard seemed genuinely excited for his opponent who stands a sturdy 5’9″ to his 6’11″ stature.
“I’m competitive but this is all fun,” Howard said hours before the Saturday showdown. “This is what it’s about.”
Fun is certainly part of his pedigree. Howard was filmed by adidas over the weekend making prank phone calls to the hotel concierge pretending to be Tim Duncan, in a gravely and slightly nasal voice, ordering room service.
“Let me get two pumpkin pies, a sloppy Joe…”
He also knocked on the door of Derrick Rose at 2:30 in the morning and sprinted down the hall, chuckling.
A “little rookie hazing,” he says.
But this free-spirited big man has also led some to believe that his sense of humor may detract from his game. He is often seen smiling heading out of timeouts or chuckling in between.
“That’s just me,” he said. “I use my humor sometimes as a way to deal with it. I’m really competitive so that’s never stopped me. If the time presents itself, I’m all (game).”
While Howard spent his All-Star weekend pulling pranks, assisting his slight opponent to victory and dancing with his Eastern Conference teammates, he returned to action on Tuesday to put up a career-high 45 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks for the Magic as they toppled Charlotte in overtime 107 to 102.
It was his 18th consecutive double-double, tying Shaquille O’Neal’s franchise record, a big man whom Howard is often compared to. Despite the recent offensive surge, it’s apparent that he has carried the Magic with his defense. Aside from leading the league with blocks, there are few people whom coaches have to plan a game around like Howard.
Remember, mis-directions and outlandish tear-dropper shots don’t get tallied, but they are so much a part of what makes his game special.
“I like guarding everybody,” said Howard, who wouldn’t specify which NBA player posed the biggest defensive challenge—not even Yao Ming or O’Neal. “I actually like playing defense; it’s become something I look forward to.”
As the All-Star’s leading vote-getter, Howard has refined his game at just 23 and evolves into a player like few we’ve ever seen before.
Is he Kevin Garnett with the bulk?
O’Neal without?
David Robinson with more athleticism? The self-actualized Shawn Kemp? Hakeem Olajuwon without the soft touch and footwork?
“It’s an honor to be mentioned with some in the past,” he said. “But I’m going to work really hard on my game, and I’m going to work really hard on being me.”
3 Comments on "Howard’s Play, Athleticism Defies Logic"
Casey on Thu, 19th Feb 2009 6:03 pm
That video was laugh out funny.
Rashad Mobley on Fri, 20th Feb 2009 4:10 pm
Good stuff Michael
Shafiq on Sat, 21st Feb 2009 6:39 pm
Great interview and article … hilarious video