D12 Foundation hosts charity game at UCF

NBA all-star Dwight Howard hosted a celebrity basketball game at the UCF Arena on Sunday night, giving basketball-starved Magic fans something to cheer for while simultaneously raising money for his youth-geared charity.

Die-hard Magic fans, students and families came out for the all-star charity event, packing the 10,000-seat arena. The game pitted "Old School" against "New School," with Magic legends such as Penny Hardaway and Steve Francis facing off against a handful of the Magic's current players.

Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Wayne was the celebrity coach for the New School team, while world-champion boxer Floyd Mayweather held together the older guys who beat out their younger Magic counterparts 114 to 102.

The night of celebrity-filled hijinks came with a price. Fans paid anywhere from $25 to $100 to attend the game, with all proceeds going toward Howard's D12 charity that benefits youth in Orlando and around the world.

Wayne and Mayweather, as well as the other players, asked for no monetary compensation to participate in the event, Howard said.

"These guys didn't want anything. They're just here to support, and that's the best thing," Howard said.

Players laughed with each other on the court and on the sidelines during the game, their noticeable grins a contrast to the seriousness of a regular NBA contest. Hip-hop music was piped through the arena while players bounded down the court, adding to the laid-back and positive mood of the event.

Even the commentator got in on the fun.

"It's all right, Dwight," the commentator said as an old-timer rushed by Howard to score.

"We just compliment each other on and off the court," Howard said of his old and new Magic teammates. "It's great to have us all together again."

Fans could be seen relishing the game-night atmosphere that has been elusive this season due to the NBA lockout.

"I love Dwight Howard, and I'm just excited to be here and watch an actual game because of the lockout," UCF alumnus April Young said. "This is my closest thing to an actual basketball game right now."

Howard dodged any questions relating to the lockout or his plans after his contract ends next year, which has been a topic of much speculation for Magic fans and the NBA community.

"Right now that's the only thing I'm focused on, is this event and giving back to our city. That's the only thing that should matter right now. Not about free agency or whatever," Howard said. "There is no basketball right now; this is basketball, something like this, so let's not dwell on all the other stuff. "

Howard said the event was put together in the short time span of three weeks, and the UCF Arena seemed like the best location to host the last-minute charity event.

"Where else were we going to have it?" Howard said with a laugh. "I think that this is a better venue for this. It's a little more intimate than what the [Amway] arena would be."

Family-friendly entertainment occupied halftime and each timeout, with performances by the UCF dance and cheer teams and Future Funk, a five- and nine-year-old dance duo that wowed the audiences with dance moves that originally received media attention on America's Got Talent.

The noticeable focus on young people mirrored the intent of the charity game, which Howard said will most likely benefit the BETA Center of Orlando or Florida Hospital in the name of the D12 Foundation.

"I'm not doing this to put any money in my pocket because of the lockout or whatever people might say; it's not about that for me," Howard said. "I'm blessed tremendously, and the reason I do this is to bless others."

The D12 Foundation has benefited organizations in the community since its establishment in 2010, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Florida, the Special Olympics and the U.S. Dream Academy. The Foundation has also contributed to children in third-world countries such as Haiti and Tanzania.

"This game is good for UCF and Orlando, and to show that Dwight is still connected to the city and wants to do good things here," said Ryan Totka, UCF alumnus and creator of the Stay Dwight campaign, an initiative he started in an attempt to keep Howard with the Magic. "If we lose someone like him, who knows what's going to happen to the Magic franchise."

Howard said he would like to organize more charity games in light of the event's success.

"A lot of guys have had games around the states this summer and nobody has had this amount of people at the game. It's just great, not only for Orlando, but [for] us Magic players and the guys who played…" Howard said. "We had a great turnout, and hopefully the next time we have one it'll be even better."