Dwight Howard doesn’t like Stan Van Gundy’s style of coaching – NBA Update
Orlando Magic super star Dwight Howard has revealed that he had trouble dealing with head coach Stan Van Gundy last season.
Howard remarked that Van Gundy had a style of coaching that he just didn’t find too attractive.
"The only thing I had a real problem with was the way [Van Gundy] coached," Howard told the Esquire magazine. 'It was very tough with Stan, because he yelled a lot, and I don't want to be that guy to yell at my teammates along
with my coach. Because they're going to turn it all off.”
Howard is the crown jewel of the Magic roster. One of the best players in basketball right now, the centre is by far the most valuable asset the side has. Therefore, it must be worrying for the Magic fans and management when he
says that Van Gundy’s style doesn’t go down well with him.
Van Gundy has always been an animated coach. He is known for shouting down the sidelines at officials and players alike, and it has gotten him into trouble many times in the past. The coach obviously doesn’t take out a lot of frustration
on Howard, because the centre doesn’t really give him much cause to, but Gundy’s antics do affect him.
Dwight says he has the most problems, when Van Gundy’s shouting starts to get to his teammates. If the team thinks their coach is being too harsh, morale goes down and that translates to poorer performance levels and a harder job
for Howard. As a leader, it is also then up to Dwight to raise the spirits of his colleagues, something he says he can only do for too long.
“I had to find different ways to motivate my team. Sometimes when you have so much negativity, it's really hard to be positive."
It might be that Orlando Magic’s dismal showing in the playoffs had something to do with Stan’s constant bickering. Orlando produced an uninspiring effort in their first round playoff tie against the Atlanta Hawks and despite Dwight’s
best efforts; they were sent packing at the early stage.
The exit in turn threw Howard’s future at Orlando into doubt once more, with teams around the league vying once again for his signature, knowing the player is going to get fed up with losing sooner or later.
Howard, who is the best centre in the world at the moment, will have a big decision to make next summer when his contract runs out. He has so far remained loyal to the team that brought him into the NBA, but he isn’t sure how long
he can keep that up.
"I just think about what's going to be best for what I want to accomplish in my life. And I don't want that door to close on me, wherever that door is."
The warning bells are certainly ringing for Magic.
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