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Charlotte Hornets big man Dwight Howard has just revealed his whole basketball philosophy in a recent interview on ESPN's “The Jump.”
According to Howard, the reason why he wears the No. 12 jersey is due to his desire of establishing himself as the “reverse of Tim Duncan.”
Dwight Howard said on “The Jump” yesterday, “Half of the reason I wear No. 12 is because I wanted to be the reverse of Tim Duncan,” and I’ve been staring ahead, just quietly blinking and pondering, ever since
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) June 15, 2018
These two big men have quite a number of parallelisms in their careers. For starters, both players are listed at 6-foot-11. They were also both drafted first overall in their respective drafts. Duncan was picked first by the San Antonio Spurs in 1997, while Howard had the same fate with the Orlando Magic seven years later.
Both players were also selected to the All-Rookie Team, All-Defensive Team, and the All-Star Team on multiple occasions.
However, what sets Duncan apart from Howard is his five NBA Championships. Although the latter did make it all the way to the NBA Finals once in his career, Howard has yet to lift the championship trophy in his 14-year run thus far.
This recent statement from Howard may explain why his on-court demeanor differs so greatly from that of Duncan. While the latter is a gentle giant considered by many as one of the most humble players to have ever played the game, the same cannot be said for Howard.
Howard has a happy-go-lucky personality, and this translates to how he conducts himself on the court. He is a flamboyant joker who just loves the game and refuses to take himself too seriously. In this regard, he and Duncan can be considered as polar opposites.
While one's attitude does not entirely determine or diminish a player's potential for success in the league, the comparison between Duncan, Howard, and their achievements does speak volumes.
