How popular was Dwight Howard in his prime compared to LeBron/Kobe/Wade/Melo/etc

[Im Still Ballin]

I was looking at the All-Star voting and noticed that Dwight got the most votes in multiple years. 2009 and 2012. He got more votes than LeBron in 2009, 2011, and 2012. He was only slightly behind in 2008 and 2010.

His brand was pretty strong until the screwup in LA. The iconic Slam Dunk Competition performances, a part of the 2008 Olympic Team, team success, playoff success, and individual success. I wonder what his endorsement/brand deals were looking like in comparison to LeBron and Kobe.

[FultzNationRISE]

I was looking at the All-Star voting and noticed that Dwight got the most votes in multiple years. 2009 and 2012. He got more votes than LeBron in 2009, 2011, and 2012. He was only slightly behind in 2008 and 2010.

His brand was pretty strong until the screwup in LA. The iconic Slam Dunk Competition performances, a part of the 2008 Olympic Team, team success, playoff success, and individual success. I wonder what his endorsement/brand deals were looking like in comparison to LeBron and Kobe.

I dont think he got more votes than other guys because he was more popular, just that the wing position was more crowded so those guys split votes. Howard really had no rivals at his position so he was a pretty easy lock on every ballot.

[FultzNationRISE]

Also playing with a guy like Turkoglu who knew how to pass was a much better fit for Dwight than playing with Kobe and Harden who just expected him to rebound.

[Xiao Yao You]

Carmelo certainly doesn't belong on a list with the others

[Im Still Ballin]

Not bad.


https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2009/02/16/Sponsorships-Advertising-Marketing/Dwight-Howard-Leads-New-Generation-Of-NBA-Marketing-Stars.aspx (Feb, 2009)

Magic C Dwight Howard is a "rising pitchman armed with a $20[M]-a-year endorsement portfolio," and he is as "approachable and accommodating as any superstar today," according to Brian Schmitz of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Howard endorses companies including McDonald's, VitaminWater and T-Mobile, and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, said that he believes Howard "has more corporate partnerships than any other NBA player and more than most pro athletes."

Goodwin and his brother, Eric, repped Cavaliers F LeBron James when he first came into the NBA, and they are "using the same unique formula to guide Howard's career" -- bringing him along "slowly, waiting for his talents on the court to translate into commercial appeal off it."

Aaron Goodwin: "Companies want to align themselves with the 'next best thing.' But more importantly, they are hoping to find that celebrity personality that also allows for branding and longevity."

Howard led all NBA players in voting for last night's All-Star Game, and Schmitz noted Howard's popularity "hasn't stopped soaring since he left the crowd mesmerized last year" in the Slam Dunk contest.

Arizona State Univ. marketing professor John Eaton said, "There seems to be a backlash against the pampered, crybaby athlete today with the me-first attitude. Howard seems to represent the other spectrum. He seems to be a role model and that's very attractive" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/14).

In Daytona Beach, Tim Povtak noted Howard's personality "has become more and more like" that of Suns C Shaquille O'Neal. Both players "smile often, enjoy the limelight and love to entertain." They also both have "engaging personalities and endless business/endorsement opportunities." While both Howard and O'Neal claim the "Superman" nickname as their own, both "understand the torch has been passed" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/15).

[Im Still Ballin]

Dwight used to be a big deal:


https://www.si.com/nba/2017/09/19/dwight-howard-hornets-magic-lakers-james-harden-kobe-bryant

"In 2008, Dwight Howard had more endorsement deals than LeBron James. He appeared in seven nationally televised commercials. He disproved the long-held notion that big men beyond Shaq can’t move product. A year later he racked up 3.1 million All-Star votes, still the most ever. In piggybacking the Magic to the ’09 Finals, Howard led the NBA in blocks and rebounds and was fourth in field goal percentage. He was the best defensive player in the league and one of the most efficient scorers. When general managers responded to a 2009 NBA.com poll about which player they would sign to start a franchise, they picked James first, Howard second."

"Today, Superman is 31, on the back end of what was supposed to be his prime. Never married, he has five children by five women. He has lost millions of dollars to friends and family. He has at times been estranged from his parents and spurned by his costars. His endorsement portfolio, once brimming with Gatorade and Vitamin Water, McDonald’s and Adidas, Kia and T-Mobile, is down to a sneaker deal with the Chinese sportswear company Peak. He checked in last winter with 151,000 All-Star votes—11,000 fewer than Ersan Ilyasova. Next week Howard will go to training camp with the Hornets, his fifth team in seven seasons, who acquired him over the summer for backups Miles Plumlee and Marco Belinelli."