Even after playing in Taiwan and Dubai over the past few years, the most unique basketball experience of Dwight Howard’s life remains the NBA Bubble. To be fair, it’s unlikely that any player will ever experience anything like the $190 million sports complex erected at Walt Disney World in 2020.
Advertisement
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to suspend the 2019-20 season in March and they spent the following three months devising a plan that would enable them to finish out the campaign in a safe manner.
Part of that plan was to limit outside contact with the world and to maintain a regular COVID testing procedure, which players didn’t necessarily enjoy. When Dwight recalled his experience of the Bubble, it was the uncountable DNA swabs that were foremost on his mind.
“That’s the part that was stressing me out. I’m like, it’s only players here, we getting tested three times a day. It ain’t no way we can catch COVID,” Howard said during his recent appearance on Podcast P with Paul George.
In fact, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was so confused by the COVID measures that he joked that the DNA testing was actually a front for something else.
“In my mind, all these conspiracy theories is coming up. I’m like, ‘Man, they taking all our DNA and they cloning us. It’s a clone Paul George and a clone Dwight Howard out there somewhere right now. I might be a clone the way they done used so much DNA,” he quipped.
Not despite its measures, but because of them, the NBA Bubble was an unprecedented success. It allowed the playoffs to progress as they normally would and not just that, it brought out a higher level of play from the athletes.
Far away from the distractions of the outside world and the chanting of fans in the arenas, Bubble basketball became home to some of the purest hoops in recent memory. And jokes aside, Howard too was grateful for that opportunity.
Howard was happy to play in Orlando again
Nearly a decade after forcing his way out of the Magic, Superman returned home. He had spent the first 8 years of his career in Florida, earning three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards and a Finals berth during his tenure there.
“I had a lot of fun, man. Just having an opportunity to play basketball, be in Orlando where I started my career at. Played with the Lakers and win, so, that was the ultimate goal. And I’m super glad that I went and we won the championship,” Howard added.
When he returned in 2020, Howard was a veteran center playing crucial backup minutes behind Anthony Davis. In 19 minutes of action, DH12 contributed 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, helping the Purple and Gold raise their 17th championship banner.
