Howard Is Top NBA Rebounder
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard reminds many of Olajuwon and Malone
Dwight Howard didn't play college basketball, but this hasn't stopped the Man Child from becoming a dominant force and the premier rebounder in the NBA.
Many experts were surprised when the Orlando Magic passed on Connecticut star Emeka Okafor in the 2004 NBA draft, in favor of Dwight Howard, who didn't play any college basketball. In a brief three-year NBA career, Howard has shown his critics that he can play with Okafor and anyone else in the NBA. Suite101 profiles NBA player Dwight Howard.
Name: Dwight Howard
Team: Orlando Magic
Born: December 8th, 1985; Atlanta, Georgia
Position : Forward/Center
Awards & Recognition
- NBA All-Rookie first team – 2005
- Youngest NBA player with a 20-rebound game (20 years old)
- Youngest NBA player to average a double-double (20 years old)
- First NBA player, who didn’t play college basketball, to start 82 games in his rookie season
Background: Dwight Howard played his high school basketball at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. In 2003-2004, he was named the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Electing to forego a college basketball career, Howard entered the NBA draft and was the first player taken in the 2004 draft.
NBA Career: Dwight Howard was selected by the Orlando Magic, number 1 overall, in 2004, the same year the Magic took Jameer Nelson with a second first-round pick. Nicknamed the Man Child, Howard quickly asserted himself in his rookie year, joining an elite group of NBA players, when he averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds. Howard also had three 20-rebound games in his rookie season.
NBA Highlights: In just over two full seasons of professional basketball, Dwight Howard has emerged as one of the premier forward/centers in the league and a top NBA player. In his second season, Howard averaged 15 points and a remarkable 12.5 rebounds. He also averaged 2 blocked shots per game and shot nearly 60 % from the field. Howard has been compared to former great NBA players, Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone and current star Kevin Garnett.
