He eats weights. He eats rims. He eats backboards. Don't be surprised if Dwight Howard eats babies too. I can go on about how great of a professional he is, both on and off the court. His work ethic is amazing and he is a great role model. No tattoos, no drugs, no negative publicity. He gives back to the community and takes care of his responsibilities. If you dislike him there probably isn't a good reason behind it. If you're like me you most likely once thought to yourself 'I wonder if Dwight Howard would kill me if he punched me in the face'.
If you've ever seen Dwight Howard play then you'll know what I mean when I say that you'll never know what to expect from him. The game plan against Dwight Howard is simply: take him out of the the game. If you can't do that then you stand little chance of winning. He may not be the go to scorer on the Orlando Magic but Stan Van Gundy's offense does run through him. Easy enough, he stands around in the middle while the perimeter players chill somewhere near the three point line and get ready to aim, shoot, and fire. Basically, that's as simple as it gets.
So when I say that you'll never know what to expect from him I mean that you can either be watching a really exciting game where Dwight goes for 25+ points, 20+ rebounds and 3+ blocked shots or a game when he has 13 points, 8 rebounds, no blocked shots with 7 missed free throws and 6 fouls. Inconsistency? Basically. But what bothers me more is the fact that he denies any sort of gap to his game. He could easily win an MVP award in this league. He could easily be mentioned among the Hakeems, the Kareems, and maybe even the Wilts and the Shaqs. But his game isn't polished enough. It's more raw talent and athleticism with a combination of brute strength than anything. The "coulds" are huge considering he is a first overall selection. If he continues to play on this level would he be considered a bust? Of course not. Would he become a hall of famer? Maybe eventually yes. But not turning that potential into production is like spitting in face of God (Yes! I just so went there Dwight Howard).
Where must I start..? Do I start on the limited/predictable go-to moves in the post (I don't dare call those "post moves")? Nah. How about the lack of one on one defense? I mean Dwight Howard is a great shot blocker, rebounder, and help defender. But he is too easily exposed by centers with any sort of offensive repetiore. His blocked shots don't come off of the man he is supposed to be guarding but rather smaller opposing guards who come into the lane. There's nothing wrong with that but he would record a lot more if he managed to not foul and stay in the game. I'm not even gonna mention that though. Free throw shooting? Mid range jump-shot? Forget about it. I doubt Dwight Howard even knows what he needs to improve on as a player. But I have a strong feeling he will soon find out. He was by far a liability against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. He didn't play with a sense of urgency. Hell, he looked like he was satisfied with just being there. Writing this makes me want to piss in his mouth while he's asleep because its so incredibly disappointing to know that he could be better than he is at this point in his career. You should always expect more out of yourself even if you're good.
Shaquille O'Neal has verbally attacked Dwight Howard publicly, saying that Dwight isn't the real Superman. Dwight has refuted by crying. We can only imagine why Dwight hasn't spent a summer trying to improve on his basketball talent rather than his impressive physique. It may take another hard defeat by a heavyweight in the postseason for Dwight to gain the hunger, thirst, and starvation it takes to become a champion. Aside from that the universe isn't even the limited to Dwight's potential. He can and may be the greatest basketball player in the world some day and we'll look back and ask ourselves why we ever criticized Dwight Howard's game when he's holding up one of his multiple NBA Final's MVPs. Then this will be cited and whoever reading it will say to themselves 'I always had faith in D12'. Lies! Don't believe them.Dwight Howard's time is now. We're waiting for him. This is his ocean and he can have whatever he wants. He just needs to figure out how to get it.
LeBron James. In elementary school we are taught a "strategic" way of writing. This strategy includes a mind pausing opening sentence to capture a reader's attention. The government name of "The Chosen One" is such a powerful title that it deserves its own entry in the dictionary (maybe somewhere between "leave" and "lecherous"). Which is why I hope my first sentence was able to execute this perfectly.
As we can all obviously notice, I am a huge fan of LeBron James, but for now, these exclusive reasons are irrelevant. Just for the record, in case of any speculation, I am not LeBron James. I am not a friend of LeBron James. I am not an associate of LeBron James. I am not involved with "the people" of LeBron James. I have no connection whatsoever to LeBron James. I don't know people who know people who sleep with people's wives who've had their chests autographed by LeBron James. I dearly wish I could say I was but due to unfortunate reasons (aka no reason at all), I am not.
Right now LeBron James is in his greatest position to win an NBA Championship for the first time in his professional basketball career. He is joined by former all stars Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison and 4 time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal. The Cleveland Cavaliers have put together this heavyweight team in hope to be the victor come June but also and even more importantly to keep LeBron James employed with their franchise.
This upcoming off-season he can opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Meaning he can freely sign to whatever team he wants. Several teams, including the New York Knicks, the New Jersey Nets, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Miami Heat, have spent the past few years working on salary cap flexibility and building young talent to potentially offer the King a very attractive deal come July. But what fans and analysts seem to almost always rule out is that LeBron James' future is not limited to these teams. Next season he will play for whatever team he wants to, whether this comes in a sign in trade or any other possible transaction. LeBron James' agency is by far the greatest of the upcoming free agents. And yes, that includes Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. So do not be surprised if LeBron James is playing in Utah for the Jazz next season. Or if Lebron James is joining forces with Dwight Howard in Orlando as a Magic.
On the court LeBron James is unstoppable. He is the true meaning of dominant. Standing at nearly 6'9 and weighing in at an estimated 270 lbs, he is built to play the power forward position. But he possesses incredibly outstanding athletic abilities. His intangibles blow coaches out of their brains. His offensive arsenal gives defenders nightmares while they're awake. He obtains a uniquely entertaining charisma that makes fans adore him and opponents hate him. He is the NBA's poster-child of a superstar. LeBron James has been quoted as saying that he won't leave Cleveland until he accomplishes his goal there, and that's to bring a championship to the city. That could mean anything ranging from absolutely everything to absolutely nada. But what happens when he does win a championship in the Forest City? Where we could he possibly go? LeBron James' unquestionable talent has thus far yet to be seen. We know that an angry LeBron James is a much more aggressive statistical monster than a patient, relax, or excited LeBron James. But what seems more interesting is that LeBron James has grown as an "on the line" performer. This is what makes him the best basketball player in the game today. In the King's first six years he reached the postseason all but twice. Each time, somehow, coming up short. LeBron James has tasted his fair share of criticism (most of it coming from those who believe he has not earned an unfair credit of glory and hype). As a young, inexperienced player LeBron James often failed to be LeBron James when great defensive teams payed such attention to him that their wives became jealous and suspicious of them having a confusing love affair with LeBron James. Now he (and he being LeBron James) plays with composure through adversity.
Between LeBron James' losing series in his first playoff appearance (whereas he averaged 27.7 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.2 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.25 spg, 4.2 TO, and 2.7 fpg on 51% shooting from 2 point field goals, 26% shooting from 3 point field goals, 77% from the free throw line with 9 attempts per game, in about 44.7 minutes of action per game) and his losing series in his second playoff appearance (whereas he averaged 22 ppg, 7 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1 bpg, 0.5 spg, 5.7 TO, and 2 fpg on 40% shooting from 2 point field goals, 20% shooting from 3 point field goals, 68% from the free throw line with 7.2 attempts per game, in about 42.5 minutes of action per game), the King was evidentially not prepared to take on elite talented teams such as the Detroit Pistons and the San Antonio Spurs. Then he was still a baby barely getting his feet wet. But we all know the single game that changed LeBron James' career and if you don't click here. After a shaky start, he ended the series on a high note with a great game posting 28.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.75 bpg, 5.75 TO, and 3 fpg on 42% 2 point field goal percentage, 11% 3 point field goal percentage (yeah that's right 11 as in eleven/the number after ten and before twelve), 80 % of his free throws on 13. 7 free throws attempted per game in 43.2 minutes per game. Although his stats are nearly identical ever since, after losing that series and winning an Olympic gold medal with the rest of the Redeem Team LeBron James became a much more rigid, relentless, ruthless, rigorous, revengeful and any other word with the same or similar meaning that begins with the letter "R" than ever before.
Despite all of this, LeBron James' castle he calls his team and his coaching staff began to crack, crumble, and fall apart against the Orlando Magic the following postseason. I mean you could blame him since he is LeBron James and he can do anything but c'mon! Did you see his stats? 39.7 ppg, 8 rpg, 7.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.5 bpg, 3.7 TO, and 3.2 fpg on 56% 2 point field goal percentage, 31% 3 point field goal percentage, 71% of his free throws on 15.7 free throws attempted per game in 44.2 minutes per game. There's no way it could be your fault if you averaged that and lost that series. No way guey.
LeBron James' destiny is in his hands (along with the world and everything in it). LeBron James will only get as far as LeBron James guides him and anyone else ready to take flight. Get used to him being LeBron James. Because he shows no signs of slowing down. Only signs of exploding right out of your television when he prepares for his pregame ritual. Get ready to witness greatness.
Coming soon. Look for the King in a town nearest you.
