Magic fans welcome Dwight Howard with signs, boos in Orlando return

By Ben Golliver

Lakers center Dwight Howard was welcomed back to Orlando on Tuesday with loud boos during player introductions and a number of mocking signs and T-shirts in the Amway Center crowd.

Howard, making his first appearance in the city where he spent the first eight seasons of his career, did his best to laugh off the boos when he was introduced. Arriving in Los Angeles following a blockbuster four-team trade last summer, Howard said recently that his former Magic teams were “full of people who nobody wanted,” a comment to which a number of his former teammates took offense. Howard recently apologized to Orlando for his behavior in advance of the trade, but that didn’t spare him some anger and vitriol on Tuesday.

The Fox Sports Florida broadcast showed a number of signs and shirts that poked fun at Howard. Here’s a round-up of the signs, shirts and tweets from the scene.

The rhyming play on Howard’s last name proved to be a popular tactic.

\

A Dwight Howard MVP shirt gets the red x treatment.

This one was pretty straightforward.

One fan played on Superman’s nickname, donning a green shirt that suggested the Magic are his kryptonite.

This sign reads: “And the award for best actress goes to Dwight for his role in the Dwightmare.”

One T-shirt compared Howard to a baby. (Via @i_like_turtls)

Another shirt compared him to excrement. (Via @i_like_turtls)

This fan cleverly played on the fact that Lakers guard Chris Duhon was also making his return. Via Orlando Pinstriped Post on Facebook.

Here’s a quick round-up of the pre-game tweets from reporters on the scene.

Dwight led the Lakers out of the tunnel for pregame lay-up lines. The boos are coming down

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 12, 2013

Dwight came out for pre-game warm-ups to some boos, then started booing, too. Still a cut-up. — Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) March 12, 2013

Thunderous boos, as expected, when Dwight Howard is introduced in Orlando. — Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) March 12, 2013

During opening intros, Dwight Howard was beaming and sticking his chest out as he got booed. — Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) March 12, 2013

The booing Dwight is receiving is nothing compared to the reception LeBron received in Cleveland. — Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) March 12, 2013

The national anthem was interspersed by two “Dwight, you suck!” cries and one, “Watch out Dwight!” from the stands — Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 12, 2013

Stirring rendition of National Anthem by Gina Marie Incandela spoiled by a few idiots shouting profanity at Dwight.

— Evan Dunlap (@BQRMagic) March 12, 2013

Jumbotron shows a Magic fan, clad in a shirt with an X’d-out Superman emblem, holding a sign that says “Welcome back Chris Duhon!”

— Evan Dunlap (@BQRMagic) March 12, 2013

Spotted: A sign that reads “T12>D12.” Spotted: another sign: “We are glad you left.” — Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) March 12, 2013

Fan walking by Dwight: “Dwight! You. Suck.” Dwight smiles, nods and says, “Thank you.” Then Dwight laughs. — KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) March 12, 2013