Where does Dwight Howard rank among peers through quarter century?

There's no doubt that former Orlando Magic big Dwight Howard is one of the greatest players in franchise history.

But where does he rank among all greats through the first 25 years of the 21st century? Howard cracked HoopsHype's recent top-25 list. Though it wasn't by much, coming in at No. 23.

"For a time, Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard was without question the best center in the NBA, a double-double machine with unreal explosiveness and strength, as well as elite finishing ability near the rim.

"Howard was such a game-changer that he helped lead a not-loaded Magic squad to the 2009 NBA Finals. Using Howard’s unreal gravity as a roller to the basket, then-Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy created a one-in, four-out system that was far ahead of its time, one that featured four floor-spacers and Howard (or underrated backup big man Marcin Gortat) on the floor at all times.

"Howard earned five straight 1st Team All-NBA appearances from 2007-08 through 2011-12, a stretch that saw him also win three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards and average 20.6 points, 13.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 2.5 blocks per game.

"Howard then did well in his progression from superstar to star role player, helping the Los Angeles Lakers win a championship in 2019-20 as a complementary piece."
HoopsHype's Frank Urbina

The first quarter of the century is almost over.

So we ranked the Top 25 players in the NBA over the last 25 years.

Some very difficult choices.https://t.co/On1TEoBssZ
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) December 12, 2025

Why Dwight Howard is ranked too low:

In his 18-year career, Howard averaged 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, shooting 58.7 percent from the floor with a 60.2 true-shooting percentage. The 6-foot-10 big won one NBA Title (2019-20), made eight All-Star teams, eight All-NBA teams and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards over his storied career.

We're grasping at straws, but there are legitimate arguments for him to be over Pau Gasol, Paul Pierce and Damian Lillard -- all ranked above him.

He's top-20 in scoring while being in the top-2 in both blocks and rebounds among 21st-century players. Not to mention, he won just as many titles as Pierce and Lillard, made only two fewer All-Star teams than Pierce, made more than twice as many first teams (5) as those three combined (2) while also being one of the league's best defenders for a half-decade.

At minimum, he's a top-20 player. Among those ranked above the aforementioned trio are Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and Allen Iverson, among others.

Where do you think Howard ranks among 21st-century players?! Let us know in the comments!

Why Dwight Howard is ranked too low:

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