Is Dwight even considered one of the "strongest" players of all time?

[CavaliersFTW]

He certainly works out a lot and has some of the broadest shoulders. But I don't really hear any testimonial about any league-leading strength from him from his peers which was seems like it should be very common considering all the stories or descriptions of players like Wilt/Artis/Shaq who were regarded as the undisputed strongest players in the league when they played. Dwight looks big and sculpted but at only 6-9 and 265/270lbs is he simply too "small" in scale to reach the kind of unnatural strength that those rare big/athletic 7 footers had? Are the larger statured big men in the league today like Bynum/McGee/Chandler considered just as strong as Dwight even though they lack his sculpted appearance due to their larger stature?

[Mach_3]

having big shoulders =/= strength

I'd love to see a video of him squatting because he looks like he has some weak ass leg muscles

[ZMonkey11]

I'd love to see a video of him squatting because he looks like he has some weak ass leg muscles

said his vertical never.:coleman:

[L.Kizzle]

He'd get punked by the Otis Thorpes, Michael Cages, Xavier McDaniel's of years past.

[FKAri]

McGee doesn't look strong at all. He looks like he's going to fall over on the slightest bit of contact. He seems very agile and quick.

[kNicKz]

but at only 6-9

stopped reading right here

[Pointguard]

He certainly works out a lot and has some of the broadest shoulders. But I don't really hear any testimonial about any league-leading strength from him from his peers which was seems like it should be very common considering all the stories or descriptions of players like Wilt/Artis/Shaq who were regarded as the undisputed strongest players in the league when they played. Dwight looks big and sculpted but at only 6-9 and 265/270lbs is he simply too "small" in scale to reach the kind of unnatural strength that those rare big/athletic 7 footers had? Are the larger statured big men in the league today like Bynum/McGee/Chandler considered just as strong as Dwight even though they lack his sculpted appearance due to their larger stature?

I heard his waist was only like 28 or 32 inches. That's bizarre. But he can't have great core strength with that small of waist - sobeit, he does very well right now. His quick torques and speed are perhaps things that will cause back problems every once in awhile due to lesser mid body support.

[Fudge]

stopped reading right here
He is 6'9" though. 6'10" at most.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Dwight-Howard-2888/

[Magic bird]

He certainly works out a lot and has some of the broadest shoulders. But I don't really hear any testimonial about any league-leading strength from him from his peers which was seems like it should be very common considering all the stories or descriptions of players like Wilt/Artis/Shaq who were regarded as the undisputed strongest players in the league when they played. Dwight looks big and sculpted but at only 6-9 and 265/270lbs is he simply too "small" in scale to reach the kind of unnatural strength that those rare big/athletic 7 footers had? Are the larger statured big men in the league today like Bynum/McGee/Chandler considered just as strong as Dwight even though they lack his sculpted appearance due to their larger stature?
:biggums:
Is'nt Dwight 6 foot 11?, or have i been living in a cave?

[el gringos]

Is that a serious question? Does anyone even think he is one of the strongest in the last 5 years? Dwight was a great athlete, but strongest?


Is nene one of the strongest players of all time?

[I Love the Game]

I don't know if I read an article or saw a feature on ESPN, but a few years back they were interviewing a player (may have even been Kobe) and he talked about how powerful Dwight is in the paint. I remember whoever it was saying it was a whole different ball game with Dwight playing down low because of his strength, especially on box outs and rebounds.

Wish I could find it, but I don't even know where to begin looking. Regardless, he doesn't look it this year...

[Pinkhearts]

Looks like people still buy into a player's billed height. Dwight measured 6'9, but he's probably grown an inch since being drafted. It's funny though people still say Durant is 6'11 when he is listed at 6'9

[SilkkTheShocker]

stopped reading right here
He isn't that tall. Bynum looked like he towered over him

[La Frescobaldi]

I don't know if I read an article or saw a feature on ESPN, but a few years back they were interviewing a player (may have even been Kobe) and he talked about how powerful Dwight is in the paint. I remember whoever it was saying it was a whole different ball game with Dwight playing down low because of his strength, especially on box outs and rebounds.

Wish I could find it, but I don't even know where to begin looking. Regardless, he doesn't look it this year...
Thighs and stomach are the most important muscles in the paint.
See Wilt, Wes Unseld, Ben Wallace, Nikola Pekovic as examples.
However it's not the ONLY thing look at Russell, Jabbar, Motumbo

I would hold Kobe's word as extremely valuable, he is astute

[AussieG]

Stromile Swift was 6' 9.. he was visibly shorter than other bigs but made up for it with ridiculous hops.

Dwight has never struck me the same way.. I don't know his exact height but he's always seemed to me someone tall AND with ridiculous hops.

[BlueandGold]

stopped reading right here
your an idiot, he's 6'9 AT MOST without sneakers. Always subtract a '1 or 2 off a player's listed height. Dwight doesn't even look as tall to begin with.

[AussieG]

He looks huge to me.. is it his wingspan that makes up for it?

I think talking about heights without shoes is stupid, because all players heights.. every website that has NBA heights, it's always with shoes?

Are we all supposed to check every players draft tests to judge a players height?

[red1]

dwight is obviously a beast in the weightroom but shaq was a different breed

[La Frescobaldi]

He looks huge to me.. is it his wingspan that makes up for it?

I think talking about heights without shoes is stupid, because all players heights.. every website that has NBA heights, it's always with shoes?

Are we all supposed to check every players draft tests to judge a players height?
It really only matters when you talk before about 1985 or after. Comparing 6'-10 Bill Russell to today's centers is invalid.
Just know when you hear an announcer say "a legitimate 7 footer" immediately he is lying through his teeth

[AirTupac]

I know its not a great thing to compare to but I remember seeing a video of Howard boxing out when he came back from injury this season and he was just throwing around Sacre with 1 arm. Yes I know its only Sacre, but he's still a grown man that's a 7 footer and Howard was throwing him around like a puppet all while coming off a serious back surgery.

[CavaliersFTW]

Looks like people still buy into a player's billed height. Dwight measured 6'9, but he's probably grown an inch since being drafted. It's funny though people still say Durant is 6'11 when he is listed at 6'9
Dwight still looks shorter than legitimate 6-10 players (like 6-10.25 w/o shoes Chris Bosh)

an inch of Growth isn't impossible, but Dwight still looks like he's close to 6-9. Most people don't grow "an inch" in height after the age of 18/19 unless they were a late bloomer with a visible growth spurt, so if he grew at all it would be fractions of an inch at best I think - this is all just based on comparing him with the players who've also been measured w/o shoes of course.

http://solecollector.com/live/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/team-usa-photo-dwight-howard-covers-logo.jpg

Also, to be fair, it should be pointed out that Dwight has pretty high shoulders for a "6-9" player, so his body frame is a bit bigger than the height to the top of his head would suggest. Jerry West was built that way too, he looks/plays bigger than the height to his head would suggest.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Dwight still looks shorter than legitimate 6-10 players (like 6-10.25 w/o shoes Chris Bosh)

an inch of Growth isn't impossible, but Dwight still looks like he's close to 6-9. Most people don't grow "an inch" in height after the age of 18/19 unless they were a late bloomer with a visible growth spurt, so if he grew at all it would be fractions of an inch at best I think

http://solecollector.com/live/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/team-usa-photo-dwight-howard-covers-logo.jpg
Prince was listed at 6'9" draftexpress
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/tayshaun-prince-3997/

Dwight's got at least 2" on him.

[CavaliersFTW]

Prince was listed at 6'9" draftexpress
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/tayshaun-prince-3997/

Dwight's got at least 2" on him.
Prince was never measured at the draftexpress, thus all you see is a "listed" height which is not the same thing as a "height w/o shoes". If you look at the image, he's standing right in front of 6-7.75 Boozer and right behind 6-10.25 Bosh and looks to be virtually identical in height to boozer, about 6-8. Which would explain his 6-9 list height seeing as how players on average are listed between 1-2" above w/o shoes height. Don't know how you can say something like "Dwight's got at least 2 inches on him" either considering Dwight looks between the height of Prince/Boozer (~6-7.76/6-8) and Bosh (6-10.25). With a legitimate guestimate that actually pegs Dwight right around what draftexpress measured him... in the 6-9 ballpark, No?

[red1]

He'd get punked by the Otis Thorpes, Michael Cages, Xavier McDaniel's of years past.
Dwight is stronger than all of these guys. They all have that tough guy reputation and they may get under his skin and f*ck with his head but none of them will push him around

[La Frescobaldi]

He'd get punked by the Otis Thorpes, Michael Cages, Xavier McDaniel's of years past.
You think so?
I dunno he plays LaMarcus A real hard and Aldridge ain't no joke. My respect level went way up for d-12 him just movin K Love out of his way, too.
Love is freakish strong.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Cavsftw, you think back then they measured players w/o shoes, but now they measure them with shoes, am I correct?

[La Frescobaldi]

Dwight is stronger than all of these guys. They all have that tough guy reputation and they may get under his skin and f*ck with his head but none of them will push him around
lol he's getting told from all directions

[Deuce Bigalow]

Dwight looks stronger than Wilt

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Los+Angeles+Lakers+Media+Day+nKGgVOUjdI6l.jpg

http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Los+Angeles+Lakers+Media+Day+38Z70S_lSGNl.jpg

http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/3/88/4211343/119143-0-600.jpg



http://www.myclassiclyrics.com/artist_biographies/images/Wilt_Chamberlain_Biography.jpg

http://images.collectors.com/smrweb/smr1206/5980054_Wilt_Chamberlain_76.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y7DU4haAYB0/T7CeVtR-LPI/AAAAAAAAAQM/G_S6yWG3lrE/s1600/wilt-chamberlain.jpg

[CavaliersFTW]

Cavsftw, you think back then they measured players w/o shoes, but now they measure them with shoes, am I correct?
No, not necessarily, I think each player needs to be looked up on an individual basis because there are cases of "off" list heights from every era and I hate "assuming" any 1 player should be considered as having their height listed honestly simply because they came from the past vs modern players.

But if you'd like I can post all the "w/o shoes" heights I've obtained of players past/present and you can compare - I actually keep track of measurement data of past players I've found on an excel sheet. Generally speaking, players from say, the 60's and 70's, were more likely to be listed close too or at their actual height w/o shoes with usually no more than 1/4-3/4" of variance (and it can go + or -) vs today there is usually a 1 or 2 inch inflation with only extremely rare cases of players being listed "at" their actual height w/o shoes and almost zero cases of a player being listed below their height with shoes. And the reasoning to me is clear:

http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/4/44/Converse_all-stars.jpg
+ Players aren't making huge amounts of money... the league isn't as heavily invested in promoting itself trying to sell the players as "super" athletes.

http://www.lebron10devastator.com/images/air%20jordan%20shoes/108308-012-air-jordan-2-retro-countdown-orange-white.jpg
+ Players are "million dollar investments"... the players need to sell themselves as super athletes upon draft time, and the league needs to sell them as super athletes while in the league - so any embellished list height is generally taken with open arms today - where as in the past there was no need/support for it

[Deuce Bigalow]

No, not necessarily, I think each player needs to be looked up on an individual basis because there are cases of "off" list heights from every era and I hate "assuming" any 1 player should be considered as having their height listed honestly simply because they came from the past vs modern players.

But if you'd like I can post all the "w/o shoes" heights I've obtained of players past/present and you can compare - I actually keep track of measurement data of past players I've found on an excel sheet. Generally speaking, players from say, the 60's and 70's, were more likely to be listed close too or at their actual height w/o shoes with usually no more than 1/4-3/4" of variance (and it can go + or -) vs today there is usually a 1 or 2 inch inflation with almost zero cases of a player being listed below their height with shoes. And the reasoning to me is clear:

http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/4/44/Converse_all-stars.jpg
+ Players aren't making huge amounts of money... the league isn't as heavily invested in promoting itself trying to sell the players as "super" athletes.

http://www.lebron10devastator.com/images/air%20jordan%20shoes/108308-012-air-jordan-2-retro-countdown-orange-white.jpg
+ Players are "million dollar investments"... the players need to sell themselves as super athletes upon draft time, and the league needs to sell them as super athletes while in the league - so any embellished list height is generally taken with open arms.
Sure, you should post the heights of the legends, that would be cool.
I've already seen your heights of WIlt and SHaq, but what about players like MJ, Magic, Kobe, ect?

[jstern]

Being ripped doesn't mean the strongest. That's just being superficial. If you look at the strongest men competition, those guys have a little bit of fat in them. They probably wouldn't be as quick as Howard, but they're stronger.

[miggyme1]

:biggums:
Is'nt Dwight 6 foot 11?, or have i been living in a cave?


go back to your cave.dwight has always been 6'9.smh and u call yoself a fan of basketball:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

[bdreason]

I didn't realize strength was the primary attribute basketball players were interested in. Maybe they should have a weight lifting competition to decide the NBA Finals instead.

[Mach_3]

said his vertical never.:coleman:

I know guys who can't squat 250lbs but can dunk off a no step jump at 5'9.

Strong legs =/= high ass vert

[CavaliersFTW]

Sure, you should post the heights of the legends, that would be cool.
I've already seen your heights of WIlt and SHaq, but what about players like MJ, Magic, Kobe, ect?

Sure just combing through my excel sheet here are some measurements of past/present players that can't be found on www.draftexpress.com/measurements

Guards/SF's:
Spud Webb 5-5.5 w/o shoes

Steve Nash 6-1 w/o shoes

Magic Johnson 6-7.5 w/o shoes

Kobe Bryant 6-4.75 w/o shoes
6-11 wingspan

MJ 6-4.88 w/o shoes
6-11.25 wingspan

Jerry West 6-2.75 w/o shoes
6-9 wingspan

Clyde Drexler 6-6.75 w/o shoes
10" hand length


Centers/PF's:

David Robinson 7-0 w/o shoes

Dave Cowens 6-8.5 w/o shoes

Wes Unseld 6-7.5 w/o shoes

Elvin Hayes 6-9.5 w/o shoes
7-2 wingspan

Walt bellamy 6-10.5 w/o shoes

Willis Reed 6-9.5 w/o shoes

Bill Russell 6-9.63 w/o shoes
7-4 wingspan

Jerry Lucas 6-7.5 w/o shoes

Ben Wallace 6-7 w/o shoes

Wayne Embry 6-8 w/o shoes
12" hand spread (hand width)

Alonzo Mourning 6-9.5 w/o shoes
7-6.5" wingspan

Arvydas Sabonis 7-2.5 w/o shoes

Bob Lanier 6-11 w/o shoes

Nate Thurmond 6-11 w/o shoes

Yao Ming 7-5.75 w/o shoes
7-5 wingspan

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 7-1.88 w/o shoes
7-5 wingspan

Tim Duncan 6-10.5 w/o shoes
7-3 wingspan

Mark Eaton 7-3.75 w/o shoes
7-6 wingspan

[La Frescobaldi]

I didn't realize strength was the primary attribute basketball players were interested in. Maybe they should have a weight lifting competition to decide the NBA Finals instead.
True enough.
But the point of it is when the ball is in the air, it's a full contact sport. And over a game and moreimportant, a series, it is the guy with titanium abs and thighs thats going to win those battles in the paint.

Best part of hoops for me is watching that game down low - wiles, wits, speed and brute strength + grace and the self awareness to avoid rage...

[ZMonkey11]

I know guys who can't squat 250lbs but can dunk off a no step jump at 5'9.

Strong legs =/= high ass vert

Then you start delving into "well slow twitch muscle strength isn't the same as fast twitch muscle strength blah blah blah"

If you have a ~35 inch vert and you weigh 270+ lbs, guess what, you have ****ing strong legs.:bowdown: