Dan Fegan, (Dwight) Howard’s agent, told ESPN: “Dwight has never laid down once in his entire career. It’s absurd that some publicly, and others privately, speculated that Dwight was laying down or quitting. In fact, he was working his hardest to play through an injury which now requires surgery.”

Dwight’s back surgery is obviously a terrible development for the Magic’s playoff chances. Even with Dwight in the lineup, the Magic were probably not going to win any championships this year. Without him, they will likely get ousted in the first round.

In the end, though, this surgery might be the best thing that ever happened to Dwight.

Now he can properly rehab his back.

But, mostly, he has a chance to rehab his image.

via Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel