Dwight Howard Responds to Sports Illustrated

"DON’T MISTAKE HAPPINESS FOR WEAKNESS" is Dwight Howard's message to Sports Illustrated, it's readers and anyone else who thinks that he can't have fun and be a winner, too.  In his latest post, Dwight writes:

Trust me, that magazine will be going up on my mirror at home. But it will be there to serve as motivation for me in the playoffs. I want to show people that I can dominate AND have fun at the same time. I remember three years back someone locally wrote that they hoped that I never lost my smile that I flash from time to time while I’m playing. But now, a few years later, my smiling and having fun on the court is seen as negatives? C’mon man, I just don’t get that.

Basketball brings me joy ... I just can’t play angry. I’ve tried it, but it only works for a couple of minutes.... My dad use to try to stop me from smiling when I was growing up, but then he realized that basketball is my sanctuary."

It will be interesting to see how much Chris Ballard's article in S.I., and the quotes within it get to Dwight.  Stuff like this one about Dwight letting Nate Robinson win the NBA Slam Dunk contest, by allowing Nate to use Dwight as a prop:

[Howard was] effectively ceding his crown and emasculating himself in one tidy three-second span. Of course, Howard says the competition was all in fun, and true, the fans loved it, but would Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant ever let an opponent do that? "F--- no," says Bryant. "Especially not to lose no goddam dunk contest."

The article also recounts the numerous verbal shots that Shaq has taken at Dwight, and how Dwight's own coach, Stan Van Gundy — someone who's frequently been Shaq'd upon, himself — responds to by saying:

"...basically what Shaq says about Dwight is true also. I think that one of the things that all young players have to understand is that you're ultimately judged on winning in this league. It's not awards, it's not All-Star votes, it's not any of that. Its winning and how high you can lift your team, and that's basically what Shaq has said, so"—and here Van Gundy pauses, obviously not savoring the conclusion he's come to—"he's right."

Whoa!

First off, let's remember that much of the same criticism was directed at Shaq early on in his career. 

And then let's remind ourselves that it's not the 1970's and Dwight's not some 70's baller whose smile on the court is dependent upon much Bolivian Marching Powder he can score after the game. We're talking about a 23 year old kid who can control the game from both ends of the court, as few players have ever done.  And does it with a sense of joy that's a treat, rather than a trick.  

So, let's not confuse the below with allowing some "Ticky" Burden guard to get an uncontested layup in Game-7 of the NBA Finals.

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