NBA News: No Penalty for Dwight Howard for Stickum Use
The Houston Rockets dodged a bullet with the good news that center Dwight Howard isn't going to be penalized for using Stickum, a kind of adhesive substance, on his hands during an actual game. This was the content of the memo that the Rockets and the rest of the teams in the league got from NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe earlier this week; although a warning was in fact given to everyone who might also be using the banned substance.
According to the memo, the league explicitly prohibits the use of any kind of adhesive substance or adherent during games, even if they are only intended to secure tapes, under wraps, and elastic wraps. It added that the only thing that is allowed is a substance that "merely dry a player's hands," which implies that chalk and resin still can be used.
The memo was sent as a response to the incident involving Howard, where he was caught using Stickum during a game against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. After the referees replaced the sticky ball, it was immediately known that Howard has been using the same substance in previous occasions and that he thought it wasn't a big deal.
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Yes, it certainly wasn't supposed to be a big deal; but the thing is the league has made it clear in the past that Stickum shouldn't be used. The former All-Star said in several interviews after the incident that he wasn't cheating and has never been a cheater. The problem is what he did may have given him an advantage inside the court.
The sticky substance issue is just one of the several adversities the Rockets have faced as a team this season. The team fired former head coach Kevin McHale early in the season after suffering consecutive losses and chemistry issues. After that, Howard became the center of a trade fiasco before the Feb.18 deadline, only to remain with the team after all the rumors and talks.
