Dwight Howard, inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, urged current star Paolo Banchero not to leave the franchise, reflecting on his own regrets after his 2012 exit.
Dwight Howard, a key figure in the Orlando Magic's most successful era, made a heartfelt plea, after being inducted into the Magic's Hall of Fame, to current Magic star Paolo Banchero to avoid making the same mistakes he did during his tenure with the team.
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"I know I disappointed a lot of you guys and in some ways I disappointed myself. But that's a whole part of life. Every day we learn, we grow."
"Thank you guys for supporting me all my beautiful years here. Paolo don't leave them, man. Don't leave them," Howard said in an interview as reported by Jason Beede.
Howard’s time with the Magic was marked by success, including an NBA Finals appearance in 2009, but also by some controversy, especially regarding his exit.
After a turbulent period following the Finals run, Howard’s desire to leave Orlando ultimately led to a series of stints with other NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards.
Howard further encouraged the young players to make the most of their careers, reflecting on how special their current situation is.
"I just hope that they don't take these moments for granted. Don't take no games, no practices, none of this for granted because you never know if you'll get this opportunity again," Howard said.
"It’s very difficult to make it to this level so I just don't want them to take [anything] for granted. I just wish when we were here, we had more opportunities like that."
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