Dwight Howard: 5 Things Superboy Can Do to Become Superman

Dwight Howard is an enigma to many and has greatly perplexed NBA fans across the nation. Amidst all of this, many have voiced displeasure in Howard and question his maturity. 

Howard is now 26 years old and is arguably a top-five player in the league. He's undoubtedly the most gifted center on the planet. But the time has come for him to show signs of maturity. It's simply time for "Superboy" to become "Superman."

Here are five things D12 can do to live up to the "Superman" nickname.

Show More Game Face

There's nothing wrong with smiling. Perhaps Kevin Garnett needs to smile a bit more. 

But Howard is overly smiley—whether it's in warm-ups or in the thick of battle. He's often cheesing for the cameras and this is fine to a point. The problem is we rarely see a true game face from D12, and it can at times appear as if he lacks competitive drive.

Shaquille O'Neal was also a smiley figure, but he also had a game face and fierceness in competition that was unquestioned. Therefore, Howard doesn't need to trash all his chuckles, but it's time for him to show more true grit on the hardwood.

Show Some Decisiveness

For the past year, NBA fans have speculated what Howard really desires. It's too often been a mystery. It's recently been apparent that his destination of choice would be the Brooklyn Nets, but it wouldn't be shocking to see that change in a matter of days.

What's more, it recently became clear that Howard won't sign an extension with any team if he is dealt in the coming days, surely leaving teams wondering if he is worth gambling on without consent that he'll be around in the future.

In all of this, Howard has made things extremely complicated and we're left to constantly hear about this on ESPN. When will this saga end?

Howard would be wise to adamantly declare what he desires for his long-term future.

And he should do this soon.

Develop More Offensive Skills

I will give him some credit here. He has made major strides in terms of developing more of an offensive repertoire.

But there remains a great deal of potential in his remarkably large and agile body. His skills are still somewhat raw, and if he can further develop his turn-and-face game in the post, he will become a nightmare to guard.

Further, he also must improve passing out of double-teams. He's too often tallying excessive turnovers as a result of being swarmed near the basket. He would be wise to watch some film of the way the savvy Tim Duncan handles double-teams. 

Howard's definitely improved and everyone knows he's a monster on defense. But he still has plenty of room for growth on offense and could soon average over 25 points a game.

Become a Better Teammate

Howard appears to be a congenial guy, but he would be wise to show more affirmation toward his teammates. 

This has been lacking in recent years and wherever he ends playing next year, he needs to show more leadership in this area.

As he matures, he can't just remain the humorous big man who is more of an entertainer. He needs to become both more competitive with himself inwardly and encouraging outwardly toward those who are playing alongside him.

Reveal That Winning Matters Most

Sometimes it's hard to know what matters most to D12. Amidst the indecision in regards to his future, it's been easy to wonder where winning ranks on his priorities.

For instance, why have the Chicago Bulls never been a primary option of where "Superman" would like to take his talents? If Chicago placed Howard alongside a healthy Derrick Rose, it would surely be a team capable of winning multiple championships in the coming years.

If Howard doesn't soon make a decision that prioritizes his desire to win, then we will ultimately be left to wonder if he lacks the competitive fire that was present in some former prominent big men (i.e. Shaq and Hakeem Olajuwon).