Dwight Howard's career has been an interesting one, to say the least. The Lakers big man has bounced around the league since his days in Orlando, although now, it's clear that he has found a home in L.A. in his second go-round with the team. He has been the perfect role player for the team and it seems as though he has what it takes to give this team a championship, even if it's not in a superstar role.
Despite this success, his season has come with trials and tribulations. A few months ago, the mother of his six-year-old child passed away. This was around the same time as Kobe's passing, which hit Howard on a deep level. As he told Shams Charania, the events of the last few months have been a source of pain and reflection.
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“This year has been one of the craziest years that I’ve ever experienced in life,” Howard said. “It’s been good, it’s been bad, it’s been ugly, it’s been torture. It’s been every kind of emotion that you could possibly deal with. The good thing about it is throughout everything that has happened, not once have I ever thought about giving up or quitting. We’re almost at the finish line. It’s been awesome to go through this journey. Life is a crazy journey. Through it all, for me, instead of complaining and sulking in defeat, just stay strong and true to yourself.
Howard has done a fantastic job dealing with these emotions and it's great to see him having such a great bounce-back year. With the Finals going down on Wednesday, we're sure he'll be excited to get that first ring.
[Via]