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A weird, wild week for rookie Howard; Orlando Sentinel Article
Topic Started: Mar 21 2005, 01:47 PM (336 Views)
MagicMadness
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Magic rookie Dwight Howard hasn't experienced it all, but he came pretty close during the past week, receiving a Reader's Digest dose of life in the league.

He saw one teammate fined and two others suspended, and he witnessed an ugly locker room incident break out.

Howard then was stunned and upset when his head coach was fired.

He learned about the death of a high school friend after a game.

Then, during the next game, Howard heard what many would consider a racial epithet directed at him by a fan. And what he didn't hear was one of his agents say he'd prefer Dwight was "in a situation" where he'd get the ball more.

What a week for the rook.

Consider it your official short-form introduction to the NBA, Dwight.

You're really not at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy any more.

Howard, 19, the league's No. 1 draft pick, led a sheltered life before leaving his small, private high school and stable family environment.

Opposing fans can get abusive

Some young players already have seen too much when they arrive. So they might not have been as shocked as Howard was when he was denigrated by a belligerent fan on the club's current road trip.

Friday night, when the Magic were playing in Seattle, Howard said a fan kept calling him "boy."

Howard was on the floor near the best seats, hearing the taunts. The SuperSonics' security, alerted by a referee, ejected a man.

"He called me a 'boy.' The referee didn't like that," Howard told the Sentinel. "I didn't know what to think. I couldn't believe he said it. I had never heard that before. Never."

There is a right way and a wrong way

Teammates can shield Howard only so much. They do look out for him. But sometimes, unwittingly -- maybe as much a public service as anything else -- they also show him how not to act.

Last Sunday in Orlando, guard DeShawn Stevenson kicked a ball into the crowd, forward Hedo Turkoglu literally butted heads with a New Jersey Net, and swingman Stacey Augmon launched into a lotion-squirting, locker-room tirade against reporters he thought needed moisturizing.

Augmon was suspended for a game by the league -- preceding Steve Francis' suspension -- and Stevenson was fined.

Hopefully, Howard will watch it all with wide-eyed bemusement and not mimic the adults.

The Magic stationed Howard's home locker next to Grant Hill's for a reason. Hill is a good person to have in your ear, rookie or not, and he counseled Dwight after the firing of Johnny Davis.

Hill said Howard was shaken by it. "Dwight's probably had one or two coaches his whole life," Hill said.

Fame doesn't shield Howard from bad news

Howard also was saddened by a text message he received on his Blackberry minutes after the Magic lost to the L.A. Clippers.

It was one of Howard's better games (season-high 29 points) and, as it turned out, Davis' final game as coach.

"Man, a friend of mine just died," he said. "Danielle Barnes. . . . She was two years ahead of me [in high school]."

Howard dropped his head. Later, he would say the woman died after suffering a seizure.

A lot goes on behind the scenes

Standing outside the locker room at the Staples Center in L.A., Eric Goodwin, who partners in the agent business with brother Aaron Goodwin, was talking with actress/director Penny Marshall.

He had come to see Howard, not just Laverne of Laverne and Shirley. It's no secret that at times Howard has been frustrated over not getting the ball.

Eric Goodwin said that, overall, he was pleased with Howard's progress. But he added, somewhat cryptically, "Would I like Dwight in a situation where gets the ball on a consistent basis? Of course.

"I think he has guys on this team he can learn from."

Dwight Howard has learned -- and seen -- a lot already.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...magic&track=rss
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MAGICMANEVAN
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what a great article to hear. hope dwight takes all this in well and learns from it. he is an amazing player and will really help this team alot during the playoffs (if we make it). hope dwight can get over the firing of JD (i know i did along time ago! :lol: ), and the death of his friend.
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Black and Blue
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The best players use their tough times as fuel to fight harder. Howard seems to be doing that, and as a player that some thought was too soft mentally, he is growing up quick.
Good article.
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iceveins333
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dwights agent needs to shut up...he better not go off demanding a trade
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MagicMadness
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iceveins333
Mar 21 2005 05:43 PM
dwights agent needs to shut up...he better not go off demanding a trade

Yeah seriously, I read that. I hope he's not feeding Howard any ideas about being the man when he's just a 19-year old rookie. He's going to have to earn more shots, and I believe by next season (barring trades) Howard, Francis, and Hill will form a very potent trio.
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dhoward541524
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Now IMO why wouldn't Dwight demand a trade, every other all-star we had did. OUR GM'S SUCK!!!(over the years)
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iceveins333
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yeah, he should be happy with his rookie season compared to kg's rookie season. Atleast he plays major minutes, and his rookie season is comparable to Amare's but I think Dwight can be better than Amare
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gomagic33
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iceveins333
Mar 21 2005 06:31 PM
yeah, he should be happy with his rookie season compared to kg's rookie season. Atleast he plays major minutes, and his rookie season is comparable to Amare's but I think Dwight can be better than Amare

I agree. Dwight is longer than Amare. He has the tools can become a better player than Amare no doubt about that - what is interesting is how Magic will handle him.

Will he finally be the franchise player the Magic player has been waiting for since Shaq left, or will he be just another one that "got away"?
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