All 76ers

Sixers' Dwight Howard Looks Forward to Seeing Real Fans Again on Thursday

It's been a while since Dwight Howard has seen real fans in the stands.
Justin Grasso|
Sixers' Dwight Howard Looks Forward to Seeing Real Fans Again on Thursday
Sixers' Dwight Howard Looks Forward to Seeing Real Fans Again on Thursday

Last week, the Philadelphia 76ers tipped off the 2020-2021 NBA season with a home game against the Washington Wizards. As the new-look Sixers were introduced on the court for the first time this year in front of a nearly empty arena at the Wells Fargo Center, veteran big man Dwight Howard pretended as if nothing was different.

At every home game so far, Howard has rushed to the court pumping up a crowd that doesn't actually exist. While the veteran center is doing all he can to make games feel as normal as possible, the fact is that this year just isn't the same without fans.

The 76ers have played in New York, Cleveland, and Philly -- three cities that do no permit fans to attend games. However, on Thursday, the circumstances are slightly different. As Howard and the Sixers are set to play the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center on New Year's Eve, a limited number of fans can attend.

Following a morning shootaround, Howard had no idea he would perform in front of a few thousand fans on Thursday evening. While the news left him shocked, Howard admitted he was very excited to get a somewhat normal feeling of playing professional basketball in front of actual people cheering back for a night. 

"That will be cool," Howard said with excitement. "I will say I miss playing in front of the fans. There is a whole 'nother level of energy that they provide for us." Although Howard understands most of the fans in Orlando will likely be rooting for the other team, that doesn't change the Sixers center's mind about the situation.

"I like to entertain," Howard added. "So, when we're playing these games, it's like, who is there to entertain? Nobody is here in the stands. It's pretty rough, but we're just trying to provide that energy we would miss from having 20,000 people. I'm just trying to provide that for the team. I can't wait for tonight to see the fans. It's been a long time since we've seen some fans."

The Sixers and the Magic are set to tip-off at 6:30 pm est. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_

Published
Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

Share on XFollow @JGrasso_
Home/News