Empty the Bench

We’re huge fans of Josh Howard. Have been ever since he came into the league as an undervalued, underappreciated late first-round pick of the Dallas Mavericks in 2003. Dirk Nowitzki and head coach Avery Johnson get most of the credit for the Mavericks’ success the past few seasons (and rightfully so), but Howard is the guy that pushes this team over the top. Without his unique suite of offensive and defensive talents, the Mavs would not be in the position they are today.

After reading an excellent interview with Howard conducted by True Hoop’s Henry Abbott, we like him that much more. Articulate, thoughtful, and honest about himself and his views of the world throughout, this young man is easy to root for and possesses the kind of heart and hard-working attitude many NBA players sorely lack. The whole interview is a must read, but here’s just a few excerpts:

There’s this idea out there that NBA players don’t develop much — that what you are in college is what you’ll be. You seem to defy that. You were a 4 in college, and now you do so many things, even guarding point guards. How has that happened?

I’m just going hard all the time, trying to get better at all the different phases of the game. Coach Johnson, even before he was the head coach, he has been in charge of my development. The main thing has been to keep the attitude that you are humble and need to improve. At the end of each year, every one of us has a meeting with the coach, and he gives everyone a plan to improve. He told me he wanted me to average 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals, and I have been trying to do that. [Note: Howard’s averaging about 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one steal.]

That’s what makes me a well-rounded player. When he told me that, I went home and worked on my jumpshot, because I have always been able to get rebounds. The six assists are tough because I don’t have the ball in my hands that much.

What about Mark Cuban’s antics on the sidelines? Dirk Nowitzki has suggested it might not be good for the team. You think it hurts the team?

Yeah. Put yourself in the referee’s shoes. He’s there constantly yelling. The coach is yelling. The crowd is yelling. Sometimes players are yelling. That’s a lot. Plus he sends those video tapes in to the league. I understand he wants what’s best for our team. I have no problem with it. But at the end of the day, it does hurt our team.

I don’t know if you ever listen to Chad Ford’s podcasts, but on there a while ago Joe Dumars said he was sad that more players didn’t follow politics.

A lot of players aren’t into anything but themselves. It’s kind of sad. They’re just here to play basketball, and they are not concerned about anyone else. They need to step out of their box. I had a reality check at 11 or 12 when I realized there was a whole ‘nother world and it wasn’t all about me and my goals. I’m glad it happened when I was 11 or 12 and not 27. To each his own, I guess, but it’s a little sad at times.

Seems like a lot of teams that make it deep into the playoffs have a selflessness to them.

Like Detroit, right? You have got to have that selflessness. On our team, everybody checks their egos at the door. We look out for one another. Everyone knows their own role. None of these guys are like that at all.

What did you study in college?

Religion. At Wake Forest, they always try to put athletes in sociology and communications because they are not hard. Really, when I looked at it, I thought about what would happen if I got injured and basketball was over for me? I don’t like broadcasting. And sociology — I’m a black man with a single mother. I know all there is to know about that already. I decided to study what I like in life, so I got a degree in religion, and Wake Forest happened to have the best religion program in the country. Spent a lot of time analyzing the Bible, comparing and contrasting different books, figuring out what makes sense. I had one religion class that had nothing to do with religion at all. It was about the African unconsciousness. It didn’t make sense, but I had to take it.