No longer able to completely dominate foes in the paint, Dwight Howard has increasingly moved his offensive game towards the perimeter.
The big fella says he’s now “working hard” on developing a three-point shot, as he looks to extend his career.
Hawks center Dwight Howard says he's "working hard" on his 3-point game to extend career. He's 5-of-56 from 3-point range in his career. pic.twitter.com/FzJx9BOcsJ
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) June 6, 2017
Howard’s first season in Atlanta ended in bitter disappointment, and his future with the Hawks is murky at best.
Per the AJC:
The Hawks center appeared on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Tuesday and said he has been working this offseason with his shooting coach in Atlanta to expand his game.
“I’ve been working on my 3’s, really trying to add some range to my game,” Howard said. “Which is going to be weird for people to see, I guess. They are used to seeing me in the paint battling. But in order for me to play longer, I have to expand my game. The game is not just back to the basket, get the ball in the post and go to work. It’s more stepping away from the basket, setting screens, popping, shooting 3’s and stuff like that. People haven’t seen me do that. It’s going to be an adjustment for me, but also the fans. I think it’s going to be fun.”
Howard took two 3-point shots last season and missed both. For his 13-year career, Howard is 5-of-56 from 3-point range.
“I think we have been left out to a certain extent,” Howard said of the traditional center. “The way the game has evolved, it’s really tough for traditional centers to get great playing time and be effective. So, we do have to change our game. … For us to stay in this league and be successful, we’ve got to be able to handle the basketball. We’ve got to be able to shoot the ball. Be able to play pick-and-roll against some of these guards. We have to be able to change our game or less we are going to be extinct.”
