Dwight Howard Had a Therapy Session on Inside the NBA

Dwight Howard spent a long segment on Inside the NBA after Thunder-Spurs on Tuesday. It would be unfair to say it was an ambush, because Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith were respectful in their lines of questioning, but they pointedly asked him about his reputation of being disliked, disengaged, and unconcerned with winning basketball games.

To his credit, Howard was candid in his answers. A good representation came when they asked what his plans were in free agency. While he initially seemed coy in his answer that he hasn’t thought about where he wants to play yet – really? – he doubled down.

“My focus right now is making sure I’m in the best shape and my body is better than ever because I want to come into next season with the mentality to dominate from preseason all the way to the end of the season wherever that may be,” he said. “That’s my focus. I can’t focus on free agency or any of that stuff that’s gonna happen later on because I want to make sure that my body is right.”

“I want to change that perception that I don’t really take this game seriously,” Howard continued. “This is my life. I’ve been doing this since I was three years old. I want to win. I don’t want to finish my career and not [have been] up on that podium. I watched Kobe win the Finals on my floor, and it pissed me off … Each year I watch the playoffs and see these guys on that stage, and it’s gotten to the point where I almost can’t watch the games because I’m not there.”

He also said that he could coexist with James Harden on the floor, and that it’s a misconception that they don’t get along, but then added that they would need to put their egos aside.

Net in net, Dwight Howard did come out of this interview a lot more likable than he was before. He allowed the program to expose some vulnerabilities that we didn’t necessarily know were there already. While it sounds like he is hellbent on finishing his career as a winner, the proof will be in whether he signs with a franchise with a genuine chance to win or if he opts to maximize his money, and then how he gels with his teammates.