http://www.hoopsworld.com/dwight-howard-discusses-decision-in-qa

Dwight Howard Discusses Decision in Q&A
Posted By Alex Kennedy On July 6, 2013 @ 12:36 am In Main Page,NBA | No Comments

On Friday evening, Dwight Howard officially decided to join the Houston Rockets. He had been weighing his options in Aspen, Colorado and ultimately chose the Rockets over the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks.

Shortly after making his decision, he spoke to HOOPWORLD in an exclusive phone interview.

Why did you select the Rockets over the other four teams you met with?

Dwight Howard: �I felt like Houston was the best fit for me. I felt that James and I would really have an opportunity to grow together. I felt like having a coach like Kevin McHale and having Hakeem Olajuwon, who�s in Houston, can really help me grow as a player � help me as a post player and help my overall game. It was very appealing. I felt like this was a great opportunity for me to start fresh. I�m just looking forward to this opportunity.�

How excited are you to play with James Harden in Houston?

DH: �Ah man, I�m very excited. I�m very excited. I�m looking forward to it. I�ve been in contact with James and we�ve just been talking about developing a good relationship so we can lead that team as far as we can. We�ve been talking about winning championships.�

Do you feel that this is the closest you�ve been to a championship in this your career?

DH: �Nothing is ever promised, but I feel like this is going to be a great opportunity for us to win. Playing with a guy like James and the rest of the team they have, we have a great opportunity. You only have a small window to win in the NBA. I think this gives me a good window, a good opportunity, to win. I�m going to do what I can to help this team win. I think, right now, I�m the oldest guy on the team so I�ll be the youngest veteran in the NBA. But it�s a great opportunity. Looking at this team and the team we had in Orlando, it�s a very similar team, but we�re adding a guy like James Harden to that team. It�s a great opportunity.�

What stood out for you in the Rockets� presentation earlier this week?

DH: �It wasn�t really the presentation. Every team that I talked to had a great presentation. And it�s not like I came in thinking that the Rockets would be the team and didn�t pay attention in the other meetings or anything like that. I really listened. I took notes. I asked questions. I did everything I could to make sure I was making the best possible decision for myself. I just looked at everything in the end and I just felt like this was the place to go.�

Are you happy to move on from this process and just focus on basketball again?

DH: �I am. Now, I�ll get a chance to just put down the hammer somewhere and just play. There�s no more uncertainty. People don�t have to worry about anything for the next four years or say anything for the next four years. I�m just going to play and be who I am. I�ll get back everything that I lost. I�m looking forward to it.�

How tough have these two years and all of this drama been on you?

DH: �I�m sick and tired of all the sources. I�m sick of people coming up with stories. I mean, it�s just a blessing for me. I had the opportunity to go through all of this � go through this process � but it�s been tough. Seeing all of the stuff on the internet. Seeing stuff that the reporters are saying when it�s nowhere near true and not who I am as a person. I was perceived as someone who I�m not. It hurt a lot. It really hurt a lot. But the only thing now is to move forward. I have an opportunity to get past all of that and I�m looking forward to it. This summer has been great. I�ve gotten away from everything this summer. I didn�t pay attention to anything that was being put out there on T.V. I had to hear about it, but I didn�t focus on any of that stuff. I focused on getting better. I�m just looking forward to the next half of my career.�

Was it tough walking away from a franchise like the Lakers? They really haven�t lost a marquee free agent before.

DH: �Very tough. Very, very, very tough. Very, very tough. People wouldn�t understand. Walking away from them and walking away from $30 million. That shows you right there that I want to win. I want to win. Nothing else matters other than winning. I don�t think anybody would�ve ever walked away from $30 million, but I want to win. But yeah, just walking away was tough. I was walking away from six million fans. I was walking away from a storied franchise. All of that makes it tough and it makes it a really, really big risk. I learned a lot from the situation in Orlando though, when I was afraid to walk away because I didn�t want to hurt people. I was afraid to leave because everything seemed like it was great. But now, I�m doing what�s best for Dwight. People are going to be mad and upset either way, so I�d rather be happy. I want to be happy playing basketball rather than upset doing what everyone wants me to do.�

What did you think of Kobe Bryant�s comments that he could teach you how to be a winner?

DH: �He didn�t say anything of that sort. People twisted a lot of stuff that he said. But in my personal opinion, I�m a winner. I�m a winner because I�ve been playing for nine years when the average career for an NBA player is three years. I�m a winner because I made it to the NBA from a small school in Atlanta, GA, with 16 people in a class. I�m a winner because I�m succeeding in life. I�ve had problems and I�m not better than the next man, but I�m going to push myself to be a winner when it comes to winning a championship. But he didn�t say anything like that and a lot of people twisted what he did say.�

If Phil Jackson had been more involved with the Lakers or coaching the team, would that have affected your decision?

DH: �Well, I asked to have him as my coach earlier in the year. (pause) The best decision for me was to do what�s best for Dwight. I think this is the best thing for me. This wasn�t a decision about anybody else. I didn�t have anybody pushing me to do anything. This is what Dwight wanted.�

Have you gotten much sleep lately?

DH: �Man, I�ve actually gotten some good sleep. When the meetings were going on, I didn�t really get much sleep. But after that, after I left, I really got the chance to sleep and just enjoy life. I went up to Colorado and had a good time. Man, I had a good time. I really enjoyed myself. I played chess, ping pong and just got away. I want to get back to that person. That�s who I am. That�s the person that made me who I am and who people love. I have to get back to being that.�

Why did you decide to weigh your options in Colorado?

DH: �I love that place. I love the mountains, trees and nature. That�s who I am as a person. I love that stuff and I wanted to get away. I wanted to enjoy the beauty of the earth. That�s why I went there.�

Did the Rockets talk about acquiring Josh Smith during their presentation?

DH: �They didn�t talk to me about it. They just talked about the opportunity that they have for me and what they can provide for me as a player. That�s what was intriguing for me. But like I said in the beginning, it was very tough. Very, very tough.�

Wowsers.

Yeah, they fucked this off in a bad way. B Shaw might have even been a great move to that affect.

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

and it just gets worse with time

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Im not posting in PTP

"Looking at this team and the team we had in Orlando, it�s a very similar team, but we�re adding a guy like James Harden to that team. It�s a great opportunity.�
Read more at http://www.hoopsworld.com/dwight-howard-discusses-decision-in-qa#OLezmOiKXDKP4rxw.99

they sold him on the old Orlando system + Harden.

surround him with shooters and let Harden handle it in the end.

that what LA should've done, but that train left the station.

Even if he asked for Phil, how is that "D'Antoni's fault?" For getting hired? If you're saying the organization bungled the coaching hire, eh, they already shoulder enough blame. Nobody is getting absolved here, this was just a massive failure of all involved parties combined with shitty luck.

As for the decision, Houston is working for the dude on many levels, period.

He comes off corny talking about "leaving $30 million" as if he is the only one to do it, but that's OK. He sounded, uh, awkward saying he was a "winner" at the pro level for lasting nine seasons and making it against long odds. uh, no, that's not a "winner" by NBA champion standards. kind of funny that "Kobe's words were twisted." I hate that people can say that and not be questioned. There was no shortage of softballing going on here.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

of funny that
>"Kobe's words were twisted." I hate that people can say that
>and not be questioned. There was no shortage of softballing
>going on here.

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

offered no clarification. basically he ducked the question and they let it ride. is it strange funny or amusing funny? i guess both.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

______________________________________________________________________________________
Im not posting in PTP

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

>Even if he asked for Phil, how is that "D'Antoni's fault?"
>For getting hired? If you're saying the organization bungled
>the coaching hire, eh, they already shoulder enough blame.
>Nobody is getting absolved here, this was just a massive
>failure of all involved parties combined with shitty luck.

I posted a Q and A with no comment on what he or the interviewer said.


>As for the decision, Houston is working for the dude on many
>levels, period.

oh word?

>He comes off corny talking about "leaving $30 million" as if
>he is the only one to do it, but that's OK. He sounded, uh,
>awkward saying he was a "winner" at the pro level for lasting
>nine seasons and making it against long odds. uh, no, that's
>not a "winner" by NBA champion standards.

k

kind of funny that
>"Kobe's words were twisted." I hate that people can say that
>and not be questioned. There was no shortage of softballing
>going on here.

lol so he flatly denies the quotes attributed to Kobe in the meeting when asked and it's a softball question?

>>Even if he asked for Phil, how is that "D'Antoni's fault?"
>>For getting hired? If you're saying the organization bungled
>>the coaching hire, eh, they already shoulder enough blame.
>>Nobody is getting absolved here, this was just a massive
>>failure of all involved parties combined with shitty luck.
>
>I posted a Q and A with no comment on what he or the
>interviewer said.

yeah but it's not in isolation, spilled over from the other thread and this was even reference in that thread like ten seconds later. the whole "issue is d'antoni" thing is a weird way to blame a guy that just took a job and did it or assume that phil wouldn't have just been going through the motions for a big check.

>>As for the decision, Houston is working for the dude on many
>>levels, period.
>
>oh word?

yup, more talent, more immediate prospect of winning, more his speed in terms of a city and they are kissing his ass. there was really no level on which the lakers had a distinct advantage.

>>He comes off corny talking about "leaving $30 million" as if
>>he is the only one to do it, but that's OK. He sounded, uh,
>>awkward saying he was a "winner" at the pro level for
>lasting
>>nine seasons and making it against long odds. uh, no, that's
>>not a "winner" by NBA champion standards.
>
>k
>
> kind of funny that
>>"Kobe's words were twisted." I hate that people can say
>that
>>and not be questioned. There was no shortage of softballing
>>going on here.
>
>lol so he flatly denies the quotes attributed to Kobe in the
>meeting when asked and it's a softball question?


it's a softball question because his denial is just accepted without follow up or further comment. the whole interview was a lob, but that's hardly a surprise. he hooked them up here, obviously.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

>>>Even if he asked for Phil, how is that "D'Antoni's fault?"
>>>For getting hired? If you're saying the organization
>bungled
>>>the coaching hire, eh, they already shoulder enough blame.
>>>Nobody is getting absolved here, this was just a massive
>>>failure of all involved parties combined with shitty luck.
>>
>>I posted a Q and A with no comment on what he or the
>>interviewer said.
>
>yeah but it's not in isolation, spilled over from the other
>thread and this was even reference in that thread like ten
>seconds later. the whole "issue is d'antoni" thing is a weird
>way to blame a guy that just took a job and did it or assume
>that phil wouldn't have just been going through the motions
>for a big check.

I think for Dwight it's the overall uncertainty. Not specifically MDA. But the decision to hire him and stick with him. Ultimately, I think the reality is short term Dwight clearly made the right decision to go with Rockets. he's going to be 28 and the Rockets are in the mix for a title at least the next two years. We have a ton of question marks. I ain't even mad at him. I think he would have failed short term in LA and gotten a lot of criticism that he probably wouldn't have been able to handle. Criticism that initially wouldn't be deserved, but towards the end of his contract would have been based on how he parted with Orlando. It's embarrassing for us. But I think both sides will feel it was the right move when it's all said and done.


>>>As for the decision, Houston is working for the dude on
>many
>>>levels, period.
>>
>>oh word?
>
>yup, more talent, more immediate prospect of winning, more his
>speed in terms of a city and they are kissing his ass. there
>was really no level on which the lakers had a distinct
>advantage.

I was being sarcastic. my bad.

>>>He comes off corny talking about "leaving $30 million" as
>if
>>>he is the only one to do it, but that's OK. He sounded, uh,
>>>awkward saying he was a "winner" at the pro level for
>>lasting
>>>nine seasons and making it against long odds. uh, no,
>that's
>>>not a "winner" by NBA champion standards.
>>
>>k
>>
>> kind of funny that
>>>"Kobe's words were twisted." I hate that people can say
>>that
>>>and not be questioned. There was no shortage of softballing
>>>going on here.
>>
>>lol so he flatly denies the quotes attributed to Kobe in the
>>meeting when asked and it's a softball question?
>
>
>it's a softball question because his denial is just accepted
>without follow up or further comment. the whole interview was
>a lob, but that's hardly a surprise. he hooked them up here,
>obviously.

What is there to follow up? "What exactly did he say?" What good will that do when he's pretty much spelled out his reasoning for leaving. Primarily because the Rockets offer the best shot at him winning a chip sooner rather than later. (for the record, I've worked my way to this being the primary reason overnight and think the MDA/Phil issue just adds fuel to him leaving). The only way Kobe and, to a lesser degree, Nash factor negatively into this is their age and health. He doesn't leave for LA if Kobe's 30 years old. I don't think their relationship was an issue once the season played out.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

FOH niiiiigga!!!

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

____________

Dallas Heatvricks BACK 2 BACK CHAMPS!!

these niggas miserable already

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

For your trash talking sake I hope the Lakers become the Wizards.

he threw the lakers money back in there face that man is more gangsta fo real fo real.

told D'antoni and kobe Capice to Htown.

mistermaxxx R.Kelly, Michael Jackson,Stevie wonder,Rick James,Marvin Gaye,El Debarge, Barry WHite Lionel RIchie,Isleys EWF,Lady T.,Kid creole and coconuts,the crusaders,kc sunshine band,bee gees,jW,sd,NE,JB

Miami Heat, New York Yankees,buffalo bills

____________________________________________________


Steph: I was just fooling about

Kyrie: I wasn't.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OWNspU_yE

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

GOAT of his era......long live Prince.....God is alive....

----
bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

Nah...bad analogy.....

GOAT of his era......long live Prince.....God is alive....

******************************************
Falcons, Braves, Bulldogs and Hawks

Geto Boys, Poison Clan, UGK, Eightball & MJG, OutKast, Goodie Mob

We'll wait.

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

Sure, it sounds great for agenda wars, but where is all this entitlement?

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

..but i know it won't


>What did you think of Kobe Bryant�s comments that he could
>teach you how to be a winner?
>
>DH: �He didn�t say anything of that sort. People twisted a lot
>of stuff that he said. But in my personal opinion, I�m a
>winner. I�m a winner because I�ve been playing for nine years
>when the average career for an NBA player is three years. I�m
>a winner because I made it to the NBA from a small school in
>Atlanta, GA, with 16 people in a class. I�m a winner because
>I�m succeeding in life. I�ve had problems and I�m not better
>than the next man, but I�m going to push myself to be a winner
>when it comes to winning a championship. But he didn�t say
>anything like that and a lot of people twisted what he did
>say.�
>
>If Phil Jackson had been more involved with the Lakers or
>coaching the team, would that have affected your decision?
>
>DH: �Well, I asked to have him as my coach earlier in the
>year. (pause) The best decision for me was to do what�s best
>for Dwight. I think this is the best thing for me. This wasn�t
>a decision about anybody else. I didn�t have anybody pushing
>me to do anything. This is what Dwight wanted.�

nothing else matters. i wish him well in his career.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

*GLSC*

..and miles to go before i sleep...

will sit here and say Dwight is lying or that they somehow know what REALLY transpired and Dwight is just saving face or some bullshit.

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

Bryant stopped following Howard on Twitter after he announced his decision. Bryant also posted a photo on Instagram of him and Lakers teammate Pau Gasol with hashtags that included "lakercorazon," which means Laker Heart.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9453534/dwight-howard-says-sign-houston-rockets

***************
I've traveled far and wide through many different times...

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

https://banafrit.com/
http://middlebrainmedia.com/

I think he's corny but ill admit that everything he said here seems genuine

yall niggas ready???

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

Almost any player who Takes that "pay cut" is just putting off money, not actually taking a pay cut. It's just less guaranteed - Dwight will make that up.

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

Being 30 years old on THIS Lakers team. And Dwight's getting paid this offseason. A lot.

other game?

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0