Dwight Howard vs Anthony Davis

[Ed Monix]

Dwight Howard has had an interesting career to say the least, but in no way does Anthony Davis deserve to be named one of the NBA's 75 greatest players over Howard.

Dwight Howard

1 x NBA Champion
5 × All-NBA First Team
1 x All-NBA Second Team
2 × All-NBA Third Team
3 × NBA Defensive Player of the Year
4 × NBA All-Defensive First Team
1 x NBA All-Defensive Second Team
5 × NBA rebounding leader
2 × NBA blocks leader

———

Anthony Davis

1 x NBA Champion
4 × All-NBA First Team
2 × NBA All-Defensive First Team
2 × NBA All-Defensive Second Team
3 × NBA blocks leader

[ozgod]

Here are their career stats from Basketball Reference.

(click to enlarge)

Regular Season


Playoffs


Since Dwight had a longer career including the last few years where he was basically a garbage time player and AD has only been playing for 12 years here are their career stats for the first 12 years of their careers, when both were/are in their primes:

First 12 years

Regular Season


Playoffs

[greg683x]

If we’re excluding injuries, if I’m starting a team and I’m picking a player to build the team around,  I’m picking Davis over Howard 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

[jambr380]

If we’re excluding injuries, if I’m starting a team and I’m picking a player to build the team around,  I’m picking Davis over Howard 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

You can't exclude injuries when talking about a player like Day to Davis. AD has slotted in nicely next to an all-time great in Lebron, but he was always going to need a true #1 to succeed. I prefer Howard's dominance to AD's. If Lebron and Howard were playing together during Howard's prime, they likely would have done a number on the Celtics' big 3. I don't feel that way about AD.

[Kernewek]

If we’re excluding injuries, if I’m starting a team and I’m picking a player to build the team around,  I’m picking Davis over Howard 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

You can't exclude injuries when talking about a player like Day to Davis. AD has slotted in nicely next to an all-time great in Lebron, but he was always going to need a true #1 to succeed. I prefer Howard's dominance to AD's. If Lebron and Howard were playing together during Howard's prime, they likely would have done a number on the Celtics' big 3. I don't feel that way about AD.

Agreed - you can't ignore that his nickname is ADNP for a reason.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

If we’re excluding injuries, if I’m starting a team and I’m picking a player to build the team around,  I’m picking Davis over Howard 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

You can't exclude injuries when talking about a player like Day to Davis. AD has slotted in nicely next to an all-time great in Lebron, but he was always going to need a true #1 to succeed. I prefer Howard's dominance to AD's. If Lebron and Howard were playing together during Howard's prime, they likely would have done a number on the Celtics' big 3. I don't feel that way about AD.

Agreed - you can't ignore that his nickname is ADNP for a reason.

I think you also can't ignore personality. Howard has been a prickly player to play with and coach.

I'd go with Davis as well.

[SparzWizard]

If that back injury didn't kill him back in 2011-2012, Dwight's prime would not have ended so soon

[Roy H.]

I would take Davis if starting a team (in either era), but lists are based on resumes.  I agree, Dwight's resume is more accomplished.  He should have gotten the call for Top 75.

Working against Dwight:  he's a dink that opponents, teammates and coaches have hated.

[Big333223]

Dwight's definitely more accomplished but was he the better player? And which question are we looking to answer?

It's funny because I was thinking this morning about who was better: between AD and Pau gasol?: 2 versatile PF/C's who were/are championship caliber #2's. Throwing Dwight into the trio... I don't know how I'd rank them.

[Moranis]

Dwight is more accomplished both individually and with team success as the teams best player.  Neither is particularly close.  Howard getting left off thst team was a travesty.  There is a better argument he is a top 40 player than there is that he wasn't in the top 76 at all.  Voters let personality get in the way of a truly easy decision.

[Kernewek]

If we’re excluding injuries, if I’m starting a team and I’m picking a player to build the team around,  I’m picking Davis over Howard 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

You can't exclude injuries when talking about a player like Day to Davis. AD has slotted in nicely next to an all-time great in Lebron, but he was always going to need a true #1 to succeed. I prefer Howard's dominance to AD's. If Lebron and Howard were playing together during Howard's prime, they likely would have done a number on the Celtics' big 3. I don't feel that way about AD.

Agreed - you can't ignore that his nickname is ADNP for a reason.

I think you also can't ignore personality. Howard has been a prickly player to play with and coach.

I'd go with Davis as well.

This is true. It doesn't seem like many NBA people have positive things to say about Dwight.

[greg683x]

Dwight had a much better supporting cast around him during the prime of his career in Orlando.  Davis had nobody in New Orleans, unless I’m just completely misremembering someone.

Maybe I’m over inflating Davis and under appreciating Dwight but my last impressions of him Orlando as ‘the guy’ left a lot to be desired and it’s mainly bc he just couldn’t deal with Perk when he played us.


….and yes I can accept that Davis problems staying healthy have to be included, but like someone else said, so does Dwight’s cancerous ‘Dwightmare’ personality.   I’ll take injury problems over a cancer.

[celticsclay]

Dwight had a much better supporting cast around him during the prime of his career in Orlando.  Davis had nobody in New Orleans, unless I’m just completely misremembering someone.

Maybe I’m over inflating Davis and under appreciating Dwight but my last impressions of him Orlando as ‘the guy’ left a lot to be desired and it’s mainly bc he just couldn’t deal with Perk when he played us.


….and yes I can accept that Davis problems staying healthy have to be included, but like someone else said, so does Dwight’s cancerous ‘Dwightmare’ personality.   I’ll take injury problems over a cancer.

Wait, when do you think the prime of Davis ended? He started playing with Lebron when he was 26. Your prefer turkolu or rashard Lewis to Lebron? Kind of funny tbh

[celticsclay]

Dwight is more accomplished both individually and with team success as the teams best player.  Neither is particularly close.  Howard getting left off thst team was a travesty.  There is a better argument he is a top 40 player than there is that he wasn't in the top 76 at all.  Voters let personality get in the way of a truly easy decision.

I agree with all of this

[Ed Monix]

I think you also can't ignore personality. Howard has been a prickly player to play with and coach.

I'd go with Davis as well.

Personalities were obviously irrelevant when it came to the 75 greatest players as Rick Barry (known racist) & Karl Malone (known pedophile) were both selected.

If you are going to make the shortened prime argument with Dwight then Bill Walton should be excluded too.