Individual Success No Longer Matters to Sixers' Dwight Howard
It all clicked in year sixteen for the veteran center, Dwight Howard. Since getting selected first-overall in the 2004 NBA Draft, Howard was focused on winning -- but also had to focus on his personal accolades in order to live up to his draft stock.
At this point in his career, Howard is personally successful. He's an eight-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA First Team, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and even won a slam dunk contest in 2008.
Heading into the 2019-2020 NBA season, Howard was missing just one thing. . . An NBA Finals victory. It took until he was 34-years old and coming off the bench to finally get it -- but Howard held the hardware nonetheless.
The former Lakers center won't run it back in L.A. next season. Instead, Howard inked a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, who he believes is a championship contender. Last season, Howard was learning from other experienced champions how to sacrifice personal statistics to help a team win it all.
Now, he brings that expertise to a Sixers team that has struggled to get past the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals lately.
"Winning the championship was everything," Howard said on Wednesday as he met with the local media virtually for the first time since signing with the Sixers.
"It made me realize I could have the best stats in the world and it don't mean nothing, because here it was, I won a championship and there was games where I didn't score a bucket, or get a field goal, or get minutes in a game. What really matters is just holding up that trophy."
Howard's newfound mindset could do wonders for his new team -- especially Sixers center Joel Embiid. Although Embiid knows he's one of the best centers in the NBA at this point in his career, the 26-year-old center is often obsessed with personal accolades as he seeks validation from the league.
Years ago, Dwight Howard felt the same way as he looked to be one of the best bigs in the NBA as well. Embiid isn't quite in the same position as Howard yet, who has to take a backseat at this point in his career. But there is a lot to learn from the 17-year veteran, who has been through it all.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
