Dwight Howard. The former all world center for the Orlando Magic, who ditched the team to seek a championship elsewhere, only to end up floating from team to team in greatness purgatory.
Frank Vogel, the former Magic coach, who was believed to be the key to ending the Magic streak of losing after Dwight left and lead a promising nucleus of players to the promised land. He was ultimately fired.
Now, both will be returning to Orlando with their best chance of winning an NBA title ever, after the former reversed his decision to sit out according to ESPN.
Both fallen figures of the Magic organization may end up ultimately winning a championship anyways, when teams head into the Disney bubble to conclude their seasons as the Coronavirus pandemic continues.
You have to consider them among the favorites. Whether you want to or not.
Propelled by a Lakers organization that wants to honor the untimely and tragic death of Kobe Bryant, and led by LeBron James who continues to chase greatness in the city, where he too was actually denied a ring once (by Howard). It feels like destiny.
Do Dwight and Vogel deserve it? A very forgiving Orlando fan base may think so. For Howard it may stamp his ticket to the Hall Of Fame. For Vogel, it would be redemption for a once promising career trajectory and joining the ranks of Pat Riley and Phil Jackson.
And it might all happen in the happiest place on earth. In a city where they both had to fail before ultimately finding redemption. Orlando.