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It was my intention, on the drive up to Jacksonville for the Orlando Magic intra-squad scrimmage, to come back and write about what I witnessed courtside, and during the postgame interviews. I fully expected to give a report on DeShawn Stevenson's surprising emergence as the possible starting two-guard, or rave about PG's great night shooting, or even the fact that Grant Hill looks ten times more confident now than he did this time last year.

These are all valid points and things we'll be talking about the entire season, but after recapping the scrimmage with Joe Canali, the Orlando Magic Editor/Videographer, during the trek back from Jacksonville, the discussion kept turning to the maturation of Dwight Howard, and folks, Joe is right: Dwight Howard is the real story of this 2005-06 Orlando Magic team.

After all, what can you tell from a scrimmage? I mean last year's scrimmage Michael Bradley nearly had a double-double. That was the death knell for the entire season. Last year's slogan should have been, "We can't even stop Michael Bradley!" That would have summed up last year's defense quite nicely at times. This year is an entirely different story. Now don't get me wrong, this defense isn't even near where Coach Hill wants them, but he's only had them for one week, and I assure you this staff won't rest until every player 1-15 is where they should be defensively. Last year Ron Ekker was our "defensive guru" and I'd be hard pressed to even describe what that man looks like. Did he even come to the games? His defense didn't!

Nevertheless, that's not the story coming out of this year's Training Camp. The story is Dwight Howard. This kid is everything that is RIGHT with the NBA and it's time that we all see that. Now don't get me wrong, I'm just as guilty as everyone else writing about knuckleheads like Latrell Sprewell, Glenn Robinson and Ron's "Planet Artestia", but I'm also the first to give credit where credit is due and Dwight Howard has earned that praise!

Let's start with last year. Dwight Howard was the only member of the Orlando Magic to start all 82 games, the FIRST High Schooler to ever do so. No, not even LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett started every game their rookie year. Dwight was one of only eight players last year to average a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) and he was the first rookie to do so (along with Emeka Okafor) since Shaq and Zo did it in '92-'93. He ranked 10th in the NBA in FG %, and that was with a coach that never gave him the ball! He led (or tied) the team in rebounding 55 times last season, he's the youngest player in NBA HISTORY to ever have 20+ rebounds in one game...and he did that THREE times.

We could spend all day talking about Dwight's accomplishments last season, and if it were ME that had a year like that, I WOULD talk about it all day...every day! But Dwight Howard wasn't content. The guy added 22 pounds of muscle to his 6'11" frame, and it'd be hard to convince me that the kid doesn't jump higher this year than he did last season. The smile is still there, in fact, I think it's even gotten wider!

As the recipient of the 2005 Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award, he was given $50,000 to donate to charities of his choice. He gave $25,000 to his High School, SouthWest Atlanta Christian Academy. The other $25,000 he split between two Central Florida Schools: Memorial Middle School and Lovell Elementary. I had the opportunity to follow him around that day, and what unfolded was something I'd never seen before. While visiting with youngsters at Lovell Elementary, Dwight didn't want to leave. He thoroughly enjoyed his visit and stayed far longer than they ever thought he would. He answered the standard questions, how tall are you? What size shoes do you wear? Can you draw a Dinosaur? But when the last question had been asked, he picked up a book and read to the kids, he then asked THEM questions, and signed autographs for each kid in the class, an experience they won't soon forget.

He's been overseas as an Ambassador for the game of basketball, visiting Hong Kong, the Philippines and Taiwan for "Basketball Without Borders". And there is no better representative of the game. He hosted a basketball camp in his hometown of Atlanta, getting an assist from NBA Legend Magic Johnson at the event. I even saw him swing a golf club, at the annual OMYF Golf Tournament. He would drive up in his golf cart to a foursome, they'd drop a ball for him and let him swing. Now remember, he didn't have his own clubs, and hadn't even SWUNG a club since the year prior, when he went golfing in this tournament in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. The first shot would go any which number of ways, in the woods, sand, water, or just dribble down the fairway a few yards in front of him. Largely reminiscent of MY golf game. He'd get a little instruction, then his second shot would be on the green almost every time. It's almost annoying to an extent. I mean the guy can do NO wrong.

So I may have intended to write about Keyon Dooling's great defense, or Jameer's almost Iverson-like ability to get to the basket or even Mario Kasun's.....uh.....giant wingspan. But the fact of the matter is, all of us that watch Dwight Howard night in and night out are being given our full money's worth. He doesn't take plays off, sulk when he doesn't get the ball or a foul call. Nope, he just smiles, turns and runs down the other end and makes a play, the way the game was intended. The Me-Macs, Kobes, and Shaqs are going to be replaced by the LeBrons, Dwyane Wades, and Dwight Howards and we as Magic fans are getting treated to one of the greats. Now it's time to win some games and show this kid off......

Dante welcomes your comments, questions and alternative opinions. E-mail him here.

Dante’s Speak is solely the opinion of Dante Marchitelli and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. Marchitelli has served as radio producer in the Orlando Magic's Broadcast department for seven seasons.