<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">There was plenty of fuss when Dwight Howard, the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, played in last year's inaugural Vegas Summer League. After the power forward's strong rookie season for the Orlando Magic, it seemed unlikely that Howard would play in Las Vegas this year. Instead, he has laced up his high tops and returned to the Summer League at Cox Pavilion to round out his skills alongside various rookies, free agents and roster long shots. "I'm still paying my dues," Howard said. "I'm here to work on my game and get accustomed to the new system." The Magic has a new head coach, with Brian Hill returning to the bench in place of the fired Johnny Davis, and Howard wants to ensure his development doesn't slacken. "I'm still 19," Howard said. "I've got a lot of basketball in me." Howard's transition from high school ball to the NBA was not as perilous as he probably expected. Playing all 82 games, he averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds and was third in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Howard credits playing in Las Vegas last summer for showing him what to expect in his rookie season. "It helped me a lot," Howard said. "I got to see the physicality of the NBA. I saw how the pace of the game is different. I don't rush to make a play or shoot the ball the way I did in high school." Howard dominated this year's Summer League, leading the Magic in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (7.5). He wrapped up his four-game summer stint with the team Tuesday by compiling 18 points and nine rebounds in a 76-74 loss to Dallas. Howard is leaving for Los Angeles to play in Magic Johnson's annual charity game and attend the ESPY Awards this weekend. The next time Howard plays in Las Vegas might be 2007 if the city is awarded the NBA All-Star Game and he is selected to play. "I'm still a long way from trying to reach my potential," Howard said, not wanting to prematurely claim All-Star status. "I want to help our team get to the playoffs. We were close last year and we seemed to give up at the end." </div> Source
