Dwight Howard will be a guest on the Hot List today which starts around 3:00 PM ET. Make sure you tune in! I'm going to tune in and I'll post a transcript for those of you who don't get ESPNEWS. EDIT: Ok, he's coming up next. As they were breaking to commercial, they were saying, "The young gun getting it done in Orlando. He's leading the league in rebounds and his team is in first place in the Eastern Conference. Find out how Dwight Howard is getting it done, up next." Then they switched to a camera feed of Dwight and he was dancing to the ESPNEWS music. This kid is so goofy.
Ok, here's part of the interview for those of you that missed it. I couldn’t get the whole thing because I had to leave but here’s the main portion: Reporter: We appreciate the time, before we get going, I have to know, how aware were you of really the last time Orlando was in the headlines like it is now? Like the Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway Magic. Dwight: I don't know too much about it, I was probably a little boy, about 5 or 6 years old and I don't really know much about that. (laughs) Reporter: Oh man, the nation just felt a little bit older with that revelation. Last night was tough, you took a loss. What was it that they were able to do to really bottle you up there? Dwight: Well, you know, I was kinda frustrated and I felt like I didn't get many calls but the game is over with, but you know, we learned a lesson from it but the big thing is that the guys that came off the bench stepped up and they played a great game for us. Reporter: We saw you matched up against Amare Stoudemire last night. That's probably something we're going to see throughout the next decade. How did he look to you after returning from his microfracture surgery? Dwight: He looked great, you know, he's making strong moves to the basket, you know, he's getting fouled, you know, he's dunking like he used too. You know, he had an awesome game, you know, and I'm just glad to see him back healthy and playing again. Reporter: Despite the loss, you still remain the story of the year in the East, you have the best record in the conference, what did you think of your team when you were breaking camp? Dwight: Well, I was just ready to come back and, you know, start playing with my team, you know, and one thing I told the guys before we started playing is that, you know, I really wanted to go really far this year in the playoffs and you know, it's going to take all of us, the coaching staff, the media, and everyone in Orlando to come together and play as hard as we can and do whatever we can to win games. Reporter: You mentioned at the beginning of the year that you really saw yourself stepping up and becoming a leader this team. You are somebody so young but obviously somebody so important to this team. How did you change your mindset over the offseason? Dwight: Well, when I played over with the Olympic team, you know, I saw how LeBron and Carmelo and D-Wade were some of the youngest guys on the team but they led our team. They were there before practice, after practice, they were basically always there and they really showed me how to be a leader and I took that back and was like, "Ok, well I need to do that for my teammates for us to be successful." Reporter: You lead the league in rebounding which is very impressive for somebody so young. What's your approach to the boards? Dwight: It's hard work, try to get everything. I know that if we want to win games we got to outrebound teams and I know that one of the best things I can do to contribute to a win is to rebound so I try to get every rebound that I can get. Reporter: And that again, is the attitude that you took into the national team camp. What did you learn about yourself as a player going against the NBA's best in that camp? Dwight: Well, you know, I learned that I can play hard. When I went over and played with the Olympic team, I saw those guys play and I saw myself making strides as far as becoming a better player by staying after practice to work on my game and work on my freethrows and work on my jumpshots and also my conditioning. That just made me realize that I'm playing with the best of the best, I'm having fun and I'm doing great and I wanted to take that back to Orlando. Reporter: With all the strides that international players are making at the NBA level, how much of an upset was losing in the Olympic tournament? Dwight: Oh, it really hurt. I was really upset after the game. I really wanted to win, you know, but things happen for a reason and I'm sure we'll come back in '08 and win the gold. Reporter: You gave a multiyear commitment to the National team. Why did you do it? Dwight: I did it because I've always wanted to represent my country and also my family. You know, this is a great oppurtuniry, you know, to be a part of something as great as the Olympic team and also, I wanted to represent the Magic players and represent our team. Reporter: Charles Barkely called you "the best big man in the East" just last week. What does that sort of accolade mean to you? Dwight: Oh, it's great. You know, I thank Charles for that. I remember meeting Charles in high school and he said I was too little and too skinny. So it's great hearing that from a guy like Charles.
