It’s hard giving up on your dream. It’s especially hard when you’ve realized it, only to have it taken away from you. Just getting there was an exercise in Herculean labor – getting back is another animal entirely. This is the situation Josh Howard, former NBA All-Star, now faces as he’s reportedly trying to get back into the NBA, according to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Former #Mavs F Josh Howard had two spirited workouts this week at American Airlines Center, per source. Howard hopes to get back in the NBA.
— Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) August 28, 2015
In his prime, Howard was a pivotal member of the mid-2000s Dallas Mavericks, a perennial championship threat. It’s not quite right to say he was a 3-and-D wing, because his skill-set was a bit more versatile than that. He could handle the ball, drive, create for others and himself. If Howard was the prototypical anything, he was the prototypical “jack of all trades, master of none.”
An ACL tear in 2010 sent his promising career down an unfortunate path, one that most assumed ended for good once he tore ligaments in his other knee two years later. While he continued to play in the league after the initial tear, he was a noticeably different player. He was never the most athletic player to begin with, so to be even less athletic than he once was proved to be a detriment. This is not the first time he’s attempted a comeback, either. Last summer, Howard played with the New Orleans Pelicans’ summer league team in hopes of earning a roster spot (either with the Pelicans or another team), and while he played well, he remained unsigned.
It’s possible Howard gets a camp invite – maybe even a non-guaranteed contract – but his chances of sticking with a team are slim. That doesn’t make Howard a fool, nor does it make his effort any less admirable. We should all chase our dreams, no matter our age. Those that realized it and had it fall away must chase it twice as hard.
(Via Dwain Price)
