For Dwight Howard, signing a three-year, $70.5 million deal with the Hawks this summer hasn’t changed his mindset in the least. Despite signing a lucrative deal and cashing in during free agency, Howard aims to continue improving, now working towards adding another element to his game: His outside jumper.
At 30 years old, players will typically roll with whatever skill set brought them this far. Howard, on the other hand, is still working to add to his craft:
“It’s all about being able to grow and just having confidence,” Howard told Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Coach (Mike Budenholzer) has total confidence in me shooting the basketball. So, that’s not an issue. I think in the past I’ve started to shoot and then I’ve stopped. I can’t allow missing or anything like that to affect how I play on the floor.
“It’s the mentality,” Howard continued. “In my younger years, when I shot those shots I laughed and joked. I don’t think people took it serious when I did that even if I made it. If people see that I’m taking that part of my game seriously, then they’ll get used to it. I think it’s something that they’ve never really seen, especially since I’ve been playing in the NBA. It’s all about how I do it.”
Howard has worked tirelessly this summer at improving his perimeter stroke, working closely with his shooting coach and Hawks teammate Kyle Korver. They’ve spent countless hours, both overseas and across the country, in hopes of fully rounding out his offensive game.
Howard, who holds career averages of 17.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game, is largely known as a defensive minded big man. The recipient of three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, Howard has made that side of the ball an absolute priority across his 12-year-career.
He’s shown interest in improving offensively, working with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon on post scoring in recent years. With the NBA transitioning to a period where possessing a jump shot is critical, Howard is working to add a skill he’s never truly worked on since being drafted.
