Dwight Howard Says Private School Prepped Him for New Technical Foul Rule

Filed under: Bobcats, Magic, FanHouse ExclusiveORLANDO -- Magic center Dwight Howard has been among the league's worst offenders the last two years, but he said Thursday night he was well-prepared to adjust to the new NBA rules that are expected to increase the number of technical fouls called this year.

While the NBA Players Association was planning to take legal action to stop implementation of the new rules, Howard did not seem overly concerned.

"I went to a private school growing up. They had a lot of crazy rules, rules you didn't agree with, rules you didn't necessarily think were right, but you just had to (live by them),'' Howard said after the Magic/Bobcats exhibition game. "They want us to cut down on talking to the refs, as hard as that may be. We've adjusted to everything else that's put out there. So we'll adjust.''

In each of the last two seasons, Howard finished with 15 technical fouls, one shy of the maximum allowed before he was hit with a one-game suspension.

The NBA has told players that officials this season will be calling quicker technical fouls for gestures that are deemed unsportsmanlike, even if they aren't directed at officials, and for running up to officials to contest calls.

Chad Ochocinco Donovan McNabb players association David Stern Cliff Lee