Wizards news: Dwight Howard compares himself to Terrell Owens after reputation claims

Dwight Howard, like Terrell Owens, reached the biggest stage — losing in the NBA Finals in 2009, just like T.O. lost in the Super Bowl in 2005 — but he still stands the chance to rewrite the script and put NBA champion in front of his resume if he can get the job done with dime maestro John Wall and company.

Dwight Howard has been plagued by his reputation ever since leaving the Orlando Magic six seasons ago, labeled a “locker room killer” and a “nuisance” for his teammates on the court.

Yet at times the criticism overflows and finds him, even on social media, where piranhas are waiting to ensnare their next victim.

Howard isn't short of facing angry fans telling him he “sucks” or is “a bum,” but that became harder to ignored when one agitator referred to him Sunday night as “a failure.”

“I sent back a message to him that said, ‘I came from nothing. College Park, Georgia. The smallest school in Georgia and I made it to the NBA. That’s no way near being a failure,’” Howard said, according to Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports. “But I said, you know what, ‘I’m sending you positive vibes. Enjoy your life.”

“It’s just the way of the world. Everybody latching on to the negative stuff and that’s all they hear about,” Howard said. “So, if you hear about a guy like Terrell Owens, he has every stat in the world. He was an unbelievable talent and an unbelievable wide receiver, but nobody talks about that. The thing they talk about, to have a story with him, is that he’s not a good person, he’s a bad teammate and all this stuff. They try to say that will carry on. But like I said, you can’t really worry about your reputation from other people, because that’s just their opinion of who you are. Your focus has to be on your character. And I know my character, I know who I am. And that’s never going to change.”

Owens and Howard have more in common than one might think, both with a Hall-of-Fame-worthy resume, but a poor reputation as teammates. Both are gifted with Adonis-like, chiseled physique, out-of-this-world athletic ability and innate talent at their position, yet the narrative around them is often based on their antics instead of their play on the field/court.

Howard, like Owens, reached the biggest stage — losing in the NBA Finals in 2009, just like T.O. lost in the Super Bowl in 2005 — but he still stands the chance to rewrite the script and put NBA champion in front of his resume if he can get the job done with dime maestro John Wall and company.