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Dwight Howard doubled down on a fellow NBA champion's statement about certain players being better than those they were once compared to. He reflected on his own situation and claimed he was better than New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, although he believes people are hesitant to acknowledge it.
Nick Young had previously posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Kevin Garnett was the "Kobe Bryant" to Tim Duncan’s "Michael Jordan," implying people are reluctant to admit Garnett might surpass Duncan, whose legacy is more established.
Dwight Howard shared Young’s post and added his take, suggesting that he is the "Kobe" to Ewing’s "Jordan."
“Aye Nick I might be the Kobe to Pat Ewing MJ people scared to say I was better,” Dwight Howard said.
Howard had an 18-season career with seven teams, most notably the Orlando Magic and LA Lakers, although his later years saw him bounce around different teams.
Over his career, he averaged 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game across 1,242 regular-season games. He was selected for eight All-Star games, won three Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) awards and earned one NBA championship.
Meanwhile, Patrick Ewing played 17 seasons with the Knicks, Magic and SuperSonics, averaging 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 1,183 regular-season games. Ewing was an 11-time All-Star, won Rookie of the Year and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
Does Dwight Howard belong in the Hall of Fame?
Dwight Howard’s NBA career has been defined by his dominant defensive abilities, though his off-court controversies have cast shadows over his legacy. Nonetheless, he remains one of the league’s most underappreciated stars.
Drafted first overall in 2004, Howard is 13th on the all-time blocks list, with 2,228 total blocks.
During his prime years with the Orlando Magic, Howard was a powerhouse, averaging 18.4 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. He led the team to the 2009 NBA Finals, though they fell to the Lakers.
In later years, Howard played for six different teams in a span of 10 years. His most notable achievement in that period came in 2020 when he played a key supporting role for the championship-winning Lakers, contributing crucial defense and rebounding alongside Anthony Davis.
Despite his three DPOY awards and four top-five MVP finishes to his name, Howard was omitted from the NBA’s Top 75 list in 2021.
Among the 16 Defensive Player of the Year winners eligible for the Hall of Fame, 10 have been inducted, including Sidney Moncrief, Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, Ben Wallace and Kevin Garnett.
Additionally, Howard led the NBA in blocks from 2008 to 2010, a distinction shared with Hall of Fame centers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.
To be eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a player must be fully retired for three years. As of now, Howard has not officially retired.
Last season, Howard attempted an NBA comeback with the Golden State Warriors but was not signed to the roster.
