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Josh Howard Returns to “Old Self”?

If you can have a “big day” NBA training camp, Wednesday was one for the Mavericks: forward-turned-two-guard Josh Howard practiced. It was the first time he did any real contact stuff since having off-season ankle surgery. There’s no timetable set for his return.

“I’m just working myself into practice,” Howard said.

“He’s worked extremely hard,” head coach Rick Carlisle said.  “He had a serious procedure and this was a positive sign today but no means is he ready to jump into game.”

I mentioned in this space earlier that I thought Dirk Nowitzki had sort of returned; perhaps the popular phrase is “back to his old self.”  I think we can say the same for Howard.

Last season he was coming off that Youtube nightmare in which he was caught saying some things he really regretted saying.  The entire 2008-2009 season he wanted nothing to do with the media. Any conversation I had with him was forced. His answers were short, he wouldn’t make eye contact with me, and there wasn’t a smile or laugh to be found. He felt like we (the media) almost vilified him. He even told me he used it as motivation to be a better player.

When I’ve talked to him this off-season and preseason, I’ve noticed a big change. He’ll look at you, answer questions thoughtfully without being dismissive, and actually try to make a joke and laugh. It seems like his head is right with the world again.

People close to the team are encouraged by this. They’re not sure if the “old Josh” is back, but they, too, certainly hope he is. Wednesday was a perfect example. He ran off the Mavericks practice court after practice was essentially over. This typically means a player isn’t talking the media. We asked a Mavs PR person to get him for us so the throng could talk to him. Last season, Howard wouldn’t have come back out. Wednesday he did and answered our questions and did it without that “I can’t stand being here and can’t stand any of you” demeanor he seemed to have last season. He probably still can’t stand us, but that’s ok.

What does this all mean to the team? A lot. Just about every person I’ve talked to referred to Josh Howard as this team’s x-factor this season.

“I think a big key is we need to keep Josh healthy,” Dirk Nowitzki has told me. “I think he showed in the San Antonio series how valuable he is for us. If he plays on a high level, we’re a different team.”

“A healthy Josh Howard is really key for us,” agreed Rick Carlisle earlier this preseason.

Howard is changing positions, moving from small forward to shooting guard on most nights. He’ll need to be focused, have his head right with the world, and be healthy to be successful.

The thing is Howard doesn’t give a rat’s ass what you or I think of him.

“To be honest, I couldn’t care less what people think right now,” he told me at media day. “My whole thing is just playing for me and my team.”

As long he focuses on that on that part, he’ll be ok.

From the Did You Know department:

Howard had a son in August 2008, named Bryson Jay. I asked him how Bryson has changed him. Get this: Howard opened up a daycare center. It’s almost complete and he hopes to have another. I’m dying to see him run that business.