Dwight Howard uses newspaper advertisement to thank Orlando Magic fans – NBA News
Dwight Howard and Orlando Magic have been synonymous for a long time. D-12 had been a part of the Magic franchise from 2004 onwards, and rose to the heights of success in the league with the same team.
Now that he is moving on with his career and preparing to take the court next season with the Los Angeles Lakers, it is difficult to believe he is parting ways with the franchise he helped re-build.
Howard was picked up by the Magic in 2004, and since then has risen to the best centre in the league, while leading the Magic to a great deal of success as well. The Superman became a regular All Star starter, won three defensive
of the year awards and made the Orlando Magic regular playoff contenders. The Magic even reached the NBA Finals in 2009, the height of success they saw during the Howard era.
It is understandable for Howard to want to move to a different franchise in hope of someday winning an NBA championship. It is even more understandable when one sees that Howard has given his all to the Magic franchise, both on
and off the court, and made countless efforts to win the ultimate crown with the team through which he was introduced to the world.
However, the Magic front office was not aggressive enough to sign good players and compile a roster that was capable of winning an NBA title. And after countless efforts, Howard decided to move elsewhere and try his luck again.
However, the manner in which Howard left, with the breakout with head coach Stan Van Gundy and the insistence on being traded even after the Magic had fired Gundy and placed a new General Manager in Rob Hennigan, angered the Magic
fans.
Howard had just signed on for the final year of his contract back in march which would have seen him play through the next season with the Magic. However, weeks later, he made a u-turn and said that he wanted to be traded.
Howard’s heroics with the Magic franchise will always be remembered, but it is fair to say that the way he acted these past few months may have made it more difficult for the Magic fans to love him after he departs from the franchise.
Howard took out a full page advertisement in the Orlando Sentinel, thanking the fans of the Magic and the citizens of Orlando in general for the love and support they showered on him for the past 8 years. It is unsure if the fans
will reciprocate the same type of feelings for Howard, but what is done is done and both parties are now looking towards the future.
The main excerpts from the letter are as under;
"To play the game of basketball in the NBA is a blessing and to have had the opportunity to play before the Orlando fans for eight years was truly a privilege and an honour," Howard says in the advertisement.
"Words cannot express the love that I have for Orlando. With your support we have done great things in this city from hanging banners to impacting our youth."
"Although my career with the Magic has come to a close, my love for the city and the people that make it beautiful will never end," the ad says.
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