Being a part of something this grandiose, something this special, reduced the 6-foot-11, 268-pound Howard to mush. ``It was the greatest thing ever,’’ Howard said. ``I’ve never cried in my life about anything … and I cried after winning the gold medal. It was very emotional for me.’’
Howard was an integral part of Team USA snapping an eight-year gold-medal drought in the sport it used to dominate thoroughly. He started all eight games at center, averaging 10.9 points (fifth on the team) and 5.8 rebounds (second on the team) while playing just 16.1 minutes (eighth on the team). Howard made a staggering 74.5 percent of his field goals, but he got less than six shots a game on average on a team where Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade dominated the offense.
The drastically reduced role was an adjustment for Howard, but one he was willing to make because of the gold at the end of the Olympic rainbow. Veterans Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer and Michael Redd, stars on their respective teams in the NBA, also played understudy roles and helped the younger Howard cope with the change.
``It was hard at times to accept that role, but I just wanted to do what I could to contribute,’’ said Howard, who added that he’s committed to competing again in the Olympics in London in 2012. ``My role was to be that spark plug at the beginning of games and I tried to do that the best I could. It was different for me, but I knew this team needed good leaders and players who had the ability to serve.’’
Being used primarily as a defender and rebounder, Howard got few chances in Olympic games to work on improving his still-raw offensive skills. But he did work daily after practices with Boozer and Bosh on his low-post game, moves that he showed off against Germany when he had a team-high 22 points. However, his free throw shooting (17 of 37) is still a work in progress.
Howard, 22, is eagerly basking in the glow of the USA’s gold medal success. And as a gold medalist, the NBA’s reigning Slam Dunk champion and one of the league’s rising stars, Howard is in big demand these days.
After the filming of his McDonald’s commercial, Howard will return to Orlando this weekend for his kids’ camp (ages 7-18) at the Magic’s headquarters. He’ll tape an episode of the Oprah Winfrey show along with dozens of other American medalists on Sept. 3 with a televised date likely of Sept. 8. Then, there’s a Got Milk? promotion at his high school in Atlanta. Also, a major advertising campaign with Adidas, the shoe Howard has worn since entering the NBA in 2004, is planned around the Magic’s all-star.
``God has just blessed me and basketball has opened up a variety of opportunities for me,’’ Howard said. ``Getting to go overseas and be around the other cultures, it was just amazing to me.’’
Also amazing to Howard was how Team USA’s players were adored and idolized among the Chinese people at the Olympics. Said Howard: ``China treated us like rock stars, like The Beatles. One person would recognize us on a van and then all of a sudden like a hundred people would be taking pictures of us through the windows. It was wild.’’
Howard’s NBA coach, Orlando’s Stan Van Gundy, said earlier in the week it was refreshing to see the intensity and passion that Team USA’s players displayed. And the sheer joy oozing from the players on the medal stand spoke volumes about this team’s character, Van Gundy said.
``It was just so good to see a bunch of guys who have unbelievable amounts of money take so much pride and care about something that really has no monetary value at all,’’ Van Gundy said. ``A lot of people mistakenly have the opinion that pro athletes are only interested in money, but this team made a great sacrifice and accomplished something incredible.’’
As for his gold medal, Howard said he has yet to decide where he will keep his most prized possession. Howard said he had the pleasure of slipping the medal around the neck of his father, Dwight Sr., but his mother, Sheryl, playfully swiped it away and immediately swelled with pride.
Just looking at the gold medal, and reliving all of the memories that tend to flood back, tends to bring a big, toothy smile to Howard’s face.
``I just look at it and think, `Man, this is a gold medal,’’’ he said. ``I wore it all the way home on the plane. It’s actually kind of heavy. But it means more to me than anything.’’
Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic’s all-star center and a gold medal winner with Team USA, is scheduled to appear at his basketball camp for boys and girls ages 7 through 18 this weekend in Orlando.
The camp will be held Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Magic’s headquarters at RDV Sportsplex. Cost for the camp is $199 and the players will receive a T-shirt, basketball, autographed team photo with Howard and eight hours of instruction.
More information about the camp can be found at dwighthowardcamp.com.
