Dwight Howard Shockingly Tops List For Magic’s Greatest Accomplishment

Feb 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (39) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Dwight Howard ranks among the most dominant big men in NBA history. Drafted No. 1 by the Orlando Magic in 2004, he built a legacy as one of the franchise’s all-time greats. Howard took over after the team lost Tracy McGrady and faced the challenge of turning around a struggling roster. Within two seasons he led the Magic to six straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Alongside team success, he boasts an achievement no other player has accomplished.

Despite reaching the NBA finals in 1995 with Shaquille O'Neal and 2009 with Howard, Bleacher Report listed Howard's three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards as the greatest achievement in franchise history. The Magic lost both finals series in blowout fashion, including getting swept in 1995.

"Howard from 2009 to 2011 is one of the best defensive stretches of any player ever," the host said. "Howard is still so underrated as an all-time talent when we talk about the best defenders to ever play. The defining players of the end of the 2000s early 2010s era, Howard is up there. He led them to an NBA Finals. That to me gets encompassed in this. Howard's three-year span with the team where they had some playoff success, where he was one of the best players to play the game. He was unbelievable, 2.4 blocks in 2011, 2.8 in 2010 and 2.9 in 2009, one of the greatest shot blockers of my lifetime."

While anchoring the defense, Howard also carried the Magic on offense and the boards, averaging 20.5 points and 14 rebounds during the 2009–11 playoff runs.

"Truly just dominant in every sense of the word when it comes to those seasons from Howard," the host added. "The peak that he had around this time goes underappreciated, and it's one of the best peaks that any of these teams has had from an individual player. Howard, his three-year peak, three straight DPOYs for Orlando, is where I'm going to go on this list."

More Orlando Magic Stories

Magic GM Reveals Best Qualities Of Jase Richardson And Noah Penda

Paolo Banchero Just Makes Cut In Prestigious NBA Ranking

Magic Projected To Land Ex-NBA Lottery Pick In Bold New Trade Proposal