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Stan Van Gundy Confirms Dwight Howard Wants Him Fired

Stan Van Gundy
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy talks with referee James Capers (19) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., Tuesday, April 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Stan Van Gundy
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy talks with referee James Capers (19) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., Tuesday, April 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard walked up to a scrum of reporters on Thursday and denied he ever asked for coach Stan Van Gundy to be fired.

What Howard didn’t realize was that the person who actually confirmed this report was Van Gundy himself.

“I know he has,” Van Gundy told reporters, probably stunning them in the process. “That’s just the way it is. Again, I’ve been dealing with that all year. It’s not anything real bothersome. You go out and do your job.”

Things got really awkward toward the end of Van Gundy’s appearance with reporters when Howard walked up to his coach (again, who he asked to be fired, according to Van Gundy) and wrapped his arm around Van Gundy.

The coach sipped some Pepsi and then walked away, leaving Howard alone to deal reporters who just got gift-wrapped confirmation from Van Gundy.

So what did Howard do? Deny, deny, deny.

“I am a player for the Magic. I am not the GM. I am not (owner) Rich DeVos I am not (Magic CEO) Alex Martins. So that’s not my job. So you guys should stop…every other week…trying to find something, because there’s nothing.”

“I haven’t said anything to anybody about anything,” he added. “Our main concern is winning. So all the other stuff should stop.”

Interesting.

So how did Van Gundy find out that his report was actually true?

“I was told it was true by people in our management…right from the top,” Van Gundy said.

“I am the coach right now,” he added, “I’m the coach until they decide I’m not the coach.”

-With Associated Press