18 years ago the Orlando Magic lost the NBA’s most talented center in Shaquille O’Neal to the glamour of Hollywood, opening a wound that would not be healed for nearly a decade. In 2004 the Orlando Magic found a spark of hope in a 18 year old broad shouldered kid coming out of high school named Dwight Howard, but who knew those broad shoulders would lead the Magic to their second Great Depression. For eight years now the Magic has mishandled their franchise and disrespected their franchise player. Shaq who received running mates like Penny Hardaway, Denis Scott, and Nick Anderson, was waited on hand and foot. Anything Shaq requested of the Magic he got. Unlike Dwight Howard who for years carried the entire city on his shoulders, being that the Magic are Orlando’s only professional sports team. Dwight repeatedly requested a legitimate supporting cast and a competent coach with a winning system and never received such. Now after years of mistreatment and disrespect Dwight has packed his bags and left Orlando behind for a much brighter future with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now Kobe is once again teamed up with the most dominant center in the game, though he’s not eighteen anymore he still capable of leading a team to a championship and with this years Olympic experience I believe he has learned the ability to differ and play off the younger guys. Don’t get me wrong though Kobe can still score with the best of them and with Steve Nash facilitating the chemistry will be oozing out of Staples Center. With the history and prestige of Laker centers, I believe Dwight will grow tremendously on the offensive end of the ball. Dwight was already a future Hall of Famer and moving forward with the Lakers I see him solidifying his place as one of the best to ever play the position. With mentors like Kobe, Shaq, and Kareem he will take his game to new heights. With Dwight in LA the Miami Heat may have some issues repeating as we assumed they easily would, because as we all know Miami has no answer for Howard who last season beat them twice basically by himself. Even without a game played the Lakers are once again the team to beat in the Western Conference and possibly the League.
-OB
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