How good will Dwight Howard be in his prime if he's not already in it now?

My friend thinks current Dwight is better than prime Shaq, which resulted in me laughing in his face and telling him to watch old Shaq clips. Anyway, assuming Dwight isn't in his prime now(which he probably isn't), how good do you think he will be in his prime? I figure he will be a poor man's Olajuwon or poor man's Shaq.

Olaujuwon and Shaq had skills that Dwight can only dream of. Personally I think this is his plateau. You were right to laugh in your friend's face.

he can definitely have a better offensive game but he will always need good outside shooters to give him a chance in the lane.

Patrick Ewingish prime.


Ewing's best season:

28.6 PPG on 55%
11 RBP
4 BPG
1 SPG

I was thinking he was gonna go nutz when he had 11 rebounds in todays game....

He [I]merely[/I] ended with 20 rebounds:oldlol:

[QUOTE=bdreason]Patrick Ewingish prime.


Ewing's best season:

28.6 PPG on 55%
11 RBP
4 BPG
1 SPG[/QUOTE]


Barkley and Ewing should have been #1 and #2 that year in MVP voting.

or maybe more like a DRobinson type prime:

One of DRob's best seasons:

25.6 PPg on 55%
13 RPG
3.9 BPG
1.5 SPG

[QUOTE=bdreason]or maybe more like a DRobinson type prime:

One of DRob's best seasons:

25.6 PPg on 55%
13 RPG
3.9 BPG
1.5 SPG[/QUOTE]


Everything except the points seem to be good IMO. I don't think Dwight has the offensive versatility to average 25 PPG. Shaq got to the foul line 13 times a game in his prime, 11 and change for Admiral, and only 8 for Dream.



The one thing these guys have on Dwight is they could score in so many ways. Shaq had his hook shot, not to mention he simply overpowered anyone, even while being double and even triple teamed.


Admiral had the athleticism of a swingman and could dominant in the paint or from the perimeter with his jump shot.


Dream was so smooth he could simply fake you out, and he could also shoot.


Dwight can't shoot and his offensive game is not that versatile.

He's nowhere near a prime Shaq at this point. LOL @ that idea. There is more to the game than just numbers.

Dwight will still get better. He needs to learn how to pass the ball though. He's much shorter than Shaq so I don't know if he's ever going to have that court vision and passing ability, but his passing will get better than it is now.

a bit better than kevin willis at peak

[QUOTE=White Chocolate]My friend thinks current Dwight is better than prime Shaq, which resulted in me laughing in his face and telling him to watch old Shaq clips. Anyway, assuming Dwight isn't in his prime now(which he probably isn't), how good do you think he will be in his prime? I figure he will be a poor man's Olajuwon or poor man's Shaq.[/QUOTE]


Let me put it to you like this....He wont even be as GOOD as prime Shaq, when he finally reaches his OWN prime years.


How old is your friend? Im CURIOUS.

Even if Dwight doesn't improve and just having the same number, he still owns the rest of the league. Shaq, Admiral, Dream....there's no time machine for them to come back boys.

No offence, but your fren is a f*cking moron

i forgot how sick shaq was back in the days until i saw his stats against the kings back in like 2002.. he was putting up like 40ppg, 15rpg for a whole series in the playoffs...

[QUOTE=oh the horror]Let me put it to you like this....He wont even be as GOOD as prime Shaq, when he finally reaches his OWN prime years.


How old is your friend? Im CURIOUS.[/QUOTE]


21 in a few months. He's an uneducated basketball fan. He also said Dennis Rodman sucked.

He's great, he'll get better, but he will never be as good as Shaq or Hakeem were.

Anyone think Bynum/Al Jeff in their primes will be > Dwight in his prime? :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE=D-Rose]Anyone think Bynum/Al Jeff in their primes will be > Dwight in his prime? :confusedshrug:[/QUOTE]


Bynum if he will be the first option and will be 100% healthy in his prime might have a chance.

Al Jefferson not a chance

[QUOTE=D-Rose]Anyone think Bynum/Al Jeff in their primes will be > Dwight in his prime? :confusedshrug:[/QUOTE]
A Bynum without injury has a better post game than Dwight. A few years of developement and Maturing could push him over Dwight.

Dwight needs to learn to pass, otherwise this is as good as he ever gets. If he does learn to pass though he could get significantly better, maybe even as good as prime Shaq (he's nowhere near that now).

[QUOTE=Papaya Petee]Bynum if he will be the first option and will be 100% healthy in his prime might have a chance.

Al Jefferson not a chance[/QUOTE]


Al Jeff is already better than D. imo. And same as you about Bynum.

biggest thing seperating Dwight from Shaq, Hakeem etc is his passing game. As long as he continues to average worse than 2 assists per game (roughly), he'll never be in their class.

It's tough for me to imagine Dwight averaging more than 23 points/game. If he decides to further improve his game it will have to come from improving his passing game and his FT%.

If he can improve his FT% he may be a 24+ PPG scorer. Otherwise, he'll be a 20-22 PPG like he is now. He doesn't have the offensive repetoire to cover up bad FT shooting like Shaq can/could.

He's already in his prime, he won't improve. He's been in the league for like 5-6 years? And he still has no post moves.

He's going where his body is going and his body is at his prime right now. Which means he's in his prime right now

I find the Shaq comparison just plain stupid.

I find the Al Jefferson is already better than Dwight comment hilarious.

Thats funny, Prime Shaq would use Dwight as floss.

I believe Dwight's in his prime, his passing will get better, but 5-6 years in and still hasn't develop a post game?

I can't tell you much but Al, but with Bynum, if he continues to develop and stay injury free and continue to learn under Kareem, he has the potential to be scary, especially since he can shoot free throws.

[QUOTE=Lakers13]Thats funny, Prime Shaq would use Dwight as floss.

I believe Dwight's in his prime, his passing will get better, but 5-6 years in and still hasn't develop a post game?

I can't tell you much but Al, but with Bynum, if he continues to develop and stay injury free and continue to learn under Kareem, he has the potential to be scary, especially since he can shoot free throws.[/QUOTE]
Agreed buddy. Bynum could very well surpass him soon. By the way, dude what's your take on the best center currently?

[QUOTE=iTruWarrior]Agreed buddy. Bynum could very well surpass him soon. By the way, dude what's your take on the best center currently?[/QUOTE]


Statically it's Dwight Howard, but I would take Yao Ming because he can hurt you with his free throwing and he has a better offensive arsenal to choose from. Too bad he has endurance and feet issues.

[QUOTE=Lakers13]Statically it's Dwight Howard, but I would take Yao Ming because he can hurt you with his free throwing and he has a better offensive arsenal to choose from. Too bad he has endurance and feet issues.[/QUOTE]
So if you are talking about stats, you would take Dwight. But just overall Yao would be better?

Kind of remain me of Kobe-LeBron, LeBron has the stats Kobe has the rest.

I think people like to forget how athletic Shaq was, he is/was 4 inches taller than Dwight, probably 50ish pounds on him and nearly maintained the same jumping skills as Dwight. Shaqs body was made to play the 5 with an unfair advantage, shaq has/had a lot stronger lower body making it easy for him to barge people with his ass. Dwight is more gym strong rather than natural brute strength and most of his strength is in his upper body.

After looking at the obvious physical advantages Shaq has, you still have to remember that Shaq was in a complete different league to Dwight when it came to skills also.

Dwight is younger than Lebron. If Lebron isn't in his prime (He isn't) then neither is Dwight. If Dwight can improve his free-throws, his PPG will go up close to 30. He already has a ridiculous amount of 20-20 games... I think he can only go up from here.

[QUOTE=visirale]Dwight is younger than Lebron. If Lebron isn't in his prime (He isn't) then neither is Dwight. If Dwight can improve his free-throws, his PPG will go up close to 30. He already has a ridiculous amount of 20-20 games... I think he can only go up from here.[/QUOTE]
I don't think so. LeBron actually has skills in his game, example ball handling, passing, slashing ability.

Both do have terrible touch though. Dwight's game is FULLY based on athletic ability. Seriously, where do you think he would be once his athleticism goes away?

He would be useless, He would be another Kwame Brown and just be a post defender and a rebounder.

The only offensive skill Dwight currently has is dunking. He's merely a dunker...

[QUOTE=iTruWarrior]So if you are talking about stats, you would take Dwight. But just overall Yao would be better?

Kind of remain me of Kobe-LeBron, LeBron has the stats Kobe has the rest.[/QUOTE]


Exactly. If you look at the stats he brings you on a consistent basis, he's obviously #1. But Yao brings things that aren't gonna always show up on the stat sheets, a lot like Kobe.

[QUOTE=Lakers13]Exactly. If you look at the stats he brings you on a consistent basis, he's obviously #1. But Yao brings things that aren't gonna always show up on the stat sheets, a lot like Kobe.[/QUOTE]
Whoa what? so is Yao better? or...? Just curious man. Not annoying you, I am a Rocket fan so I would like to know your opinion from a Laker fan.

[QUOTE=iTruWarrior]Whoa what? so is Yao better? or...? Just curious man. Not annoying you, I am a Rocket fan so I would like to know your opinion from a Laker fan.[/QUOTE]


IMO, right now Yao is better. Not taking anything from Dwight, that dude is a beast, but he doesn't have a great skill set yet. Can he develop a post up game, become a decent free thrower, and consistently make a 5-10 feet mid range shot ( if he does have this correct me if i'm wrong, he just seems to dunk and put back bricks for lay ups from what I've seen)? It's possible, but overall, Yao's offensive skill set is far and beyond greater then Dwight's, and their D is on par with each other, but I'd give Dwight a slight edge because he's more aggressive.

[QUOTE=Lakers13]IMO, right now Yao is better. Not taking anything from Dwight, that dude is a beast, but he doesn't have a great skill set yet. Can he develop a post up game, become a decent free thrower, and consistently make a 5-10 feet mid range shot ( if he does have this correct me if i'm wrong, he just seems to dunk and put back bricks for lay ups from what I've seen)? It's possible, but overall, Yao's offensive skill set is far and beyond greater then Dwight's, and their D is on par with each other, but I'd give Dwight a slight edge because he's more aggressive.[/QUOTE]
Great response from a great poster :cheers:

Put skills aside. Evaluate what he does for the team and the ability he gives a team to win a game.

He doesn't need to really develop an outside game. He takes up the paint. If a team single teams him, he will be deadly in the paint. If they double team him, someone else is open, and on the Magic team, that usually means a 3 point shot is about to be made.

As the Magic's system evolves more over the coming years, it will only get stronger. He is the anchor to our system...

I know he'll never put up Shaqtastic numbers, but I think he has the potential to be just as essential to his team, and maybe even get the rings to prove it.

[QUOTE=visirale]Put skills aside. Evaluate what he does for the team and the ability he gives a team to win a game.

He doesn't need to really develop an outside game. He takes up the paint. If a team single teams him, he will be deadly in the paint. If they double team him, someone else is open, and on the Magic team, that usually means a 3 point shot is about to be made.

As the Magic's system evolves more over the coming years, it will only get stronger. He is the anchor to our system...

I know he'll never put up Shaqtastic numbers, but I think he has the potential to be just as essential to his team, and maybe even get the rings to prove it.[/QUOTE]
He'll need to develop outside of the paint, his size is nothing similar to Shaq's. Shaq's size is why he is so dominant and why nobody can play him 1 on 1 even to this day.

Shaq is like 60 pounds heavier and 5 inches taller than Howard. Howard needs to develop outside of the paint.

D.Howard is considered as a dominant big guy cause this is an era in which there are not so many excellent big guys as there were in 90s.