Dwight Howard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dwight Howard
Position Power forward/Center
Nickname Thunder, D12, Man Child
League NBA
Height 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Weight 265 lb (120 kg)
Team Orlando Magic
Nationality Flag of United States United States
Born December 8, 1985 (age 21)
Atlanta, Georgia
High school Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
Draft 1st overall, 2004
Orlando Magic
Pro career 2004–present
Awards 2004 Naismith Prep Player of the Year

Dwight David Howard (born December 8, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia[1]) is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Thunder",[2] Howard, who can play either power forward or center, chose to forego college and entered the NBA Draft in 2004. He was selected first overall by the Magic, and has since emerged as one of the top rebounders in the NBA and been selected to the All-Star game once. Combined with his spectacular dunks, Howard is today one of the brightest young prospects in the NBA and the team leader of the Magic.

Contents

Howard was born to Dwight Sr. and Sheryl Howard and into a family with strong athletic connections. His father is a Georgia State trooper and serves as Athletic Director of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, a private academy with one of the best high school basketball programs, while his mother played on the inaugural women's basketball team at Morris Brown College.[1] A devout Christian since young, Howard had resolved while he was in eight grade to be selected as the number one pick in the NBA Draft one day.[3] Howard would elect to join the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy and there, he averaged 16.6 points per game (ppg), 13.4 rebounds per game (rpg) and 6.3 blocks per game in 129 appearances.[1] Howard was subsequently awarded the 2004 Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, the Morgan Wooten High School Player of the Year Award, the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award and the McDonald’s National High School Player of the Year honor.[4]

Following the impact Howard made in high school, he chose to forego college and opted into the 2004 NBA Draft and the Orlando Magic selected him first overall.[1] Howard finished his rookie season with an average of 12.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg per game,[5] setting several NBA records in the process. He became the youngest player in NBA history to average a double double in the regular season.[4] He also became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 10.0 rebounds in a season and youngest NBA player ever to record at least 20 rebounds in a game.[4] Howard's importance to the Magic was highlighted when he became the first player in NBA history directly out of high school to start all 82 games during his rookie season.[4] For his feats, Howard was selected to play in the 2005 NBA Got Milk? Rookie Challenge, and was unanimously selected to the All-NBA Rookie First Team.[4] However, he lost out to fellow center Emeka Okafor and guard Ben Gordon for the Rookie of the Year award.[6]

Howard again posted outstanding numbers in his sophomore season. On 15 November, 2005, in a home game at against the Charlotte Bobcats, Howard scored 21 points and 20 rebounds, becoming the youngest player ever to score 20 or more points and 20 or more rebounds.[7] Howard was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the 2006 Rookie Challenge during the All-Star break,[1] and on 15 April, 2006, he recorded a career-high 26 rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers.[5] Overall, he averaged 15.8 ppg and 12.5 rpg,[5] ranking second in the NBA in rebounds per game, offensive rebounds and double doubles, and sixth in field goal percentage.[1] Nevertheless, the Magic ended the season with a 36-46 win-loss record[8] and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season since Howard's arrival.

Howard continued to improve on his numbers in the 2006-07 NBA season and on 1 February, 2007, he received his first NBA All-Star selection as a reserve on the Eastern Conference squad for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game.[1] Howard finished the game with 20 points and 12 rebounds.[9] Less than a week later, he recorded a career-high 32 points against the Toronto Raptors.[10]

Howard was named on 5 March, 2006, to the 2006-2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program.[1] He helped lead the team to a 5-0 record during its pre-World Championship tour, and subsequently helped the team win the bronze medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.[1]

Statistically, Howard is consistently ranked as one of the top rebounders in the NBA. To illustrate, in a game against the Golden State Warriors on 10 January 2007, his 25 rebounds for the Magic outnumbered the total number of boards grabbed by the starting five of the Warriors.[11] Related to his rebounding ability is Howard's leaping ability, of which his vertical leap is estimated at almost 40 inches.[12] This was demonstrated when he competed in the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend, during which he completed an alley oop dunk from teammate Jameer Nelson and slapped a sticker onto the backboard which reached 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m).[13] The sticker showed an image of his own smiling face with a handwritten "All things through Christ Phil: 4:13," a paraphrase of Philippians 4:13.[14] Howard's abilities and powerful physique have thus drawn attention from fellow NBA All-Stars. Tim Duncan once remarked: "[Howard] is so developed... He has so much promise and I am glad that I will be out of the league when he is peaking."[15] Kevin Garnett echoed those sentiments: "[Howard] is a freak of nature, man... I was nowhere near that physically talented. I wasn't that gifted, as far as body and physical presence."[15]

However, while many sports pundits rate Howard as one of the top young prospects in the NBA today,[16][12][17] Howard's main drawbacks in his game lie in his limited shooting range, and like many centers, a low free throw conversion percentage.[5]

Howard has stated he believes in reaching out to his community and fans and thus contributes substantially in the field of philanthropy.[3] He attends the Fellowship of Faith Church when he is back home in Atlanta and is involved and active with the youth programs at the church.[18] Together with his parents, Howard also established the Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc. in 2004.[19] The Foundation provides scholarships for students who want to attend his alma mater, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, and grants to Lovell Elementary School and Memorial Middle School in Orlando, Florida.[19] The Foundation also organizes summer basketball camps for boys and girls, and together with high school and college coaches and players, fellow NBA players are invited to be on hand at the camp.[20] For his contributions in the Central Florida community, Howard received in 2005 the Rich and Helen De Vos Community Enrichment Award.[18] Within the NBA itself, Howard has participated in several NBA "Read to Achieve" assemblies encouraging children to make reading a priority.[18]

Elsewhere, Howard appeared as a special guest on an episode of the ABC series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that aired 2 April, 2006, in which Ty Pennington and his team built a new home and ministry offices for Sadie Holmes, who operates a social services ministry in the Orlando area.[21]

  • NBA All-Star: 2007
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2005

Correct as of 7 April 2007
SEASON TEAM GP MPG SPG BPG RPG APG PPG
2004-05 Orlando 82 32.6 0.9 1.7 10.0 0.9 12.0
2005-06 Orlando 82 36.8 0.8 1.4 12.5 1.5 15.8
2006-07 Orlando 76 36.9 0.8 1.9 12.2 1.9 17.7

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dwight Howard, usabasketball.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  2. ^ Bucher, Ric, ESPN The Magazine: NEXT, sports.espn.go.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Aran, "adidas Superstar Camp Asia: Dwight Howard Interview", nbadraft.net, 27 May 2006, accessed 28 March 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d e Dwight Howard Info Page - Bio, nba.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d Dwight Howard Info Page - Career Stats and Totals, nba.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  6. ^ 2005 Award Winners, nba.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  7. ^ Howard's 20/20, nba.com/magic, 16 November 2005, accessed 28 March 2007.
  8. ^ 2005-06 DIVISION STANDINGS, nba.com/standings, accessed 28 March 2007.
  9. ^ Box Score, nba.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  10. ^ Raptors win sixth straight home game, tsn.ca, 7 February 2007, accessed 28 March 2007.
  11. ^ Box Score, sports.espn.go.com, 10 January 2007, accessed 28 March 2007.
  12. ^ a b Bucher, Rich, "The man who just can't wait to be king", sports.espn.go.com, 10 December 2006, accessed 28 March 2007.
  13. ^ Just a 42 for 12'6" sticker slap? Bigs get no respect, espn.go.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  14. ^ Abbot, Henry, "Howard's sticker slam wins buzz but not contest", sports.espn.go.com, 17 February 2007, accessed 28 March 2007.
  15. ^ a b Chat Transcript: Dwight Howard, nba.com/magic, accessed 28 March 2007.
  16. ^ Anthony, Greg, "Biggest man, biggest honors", sports.espn.go.com, 15 December 2006, accessed 28 March 2007.
  17. ^ Neel, Eric, "No ceiling in sight", ESPN Insider, 19 December 2006.
  18. ^ a b c UP CLOSE & PERSONAL, dwight-howard.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  19. ^ a b Dwight D. Howard Foundation Inc. WHAT WE DO, dwight-howard.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  20. ^ 2006 Howard & Howard Basketball Camps, dwight-howard.com, accessed 28 March 2007.
  21. ^ Extreme Makover: Magic Style, nba.com/nbabuzz, accessed 28 March 2007.

Preceded by
LeBron James		 NBA first overall draft pick
2004 NBA Draft		 Succeeded by
Andrew Bogut


2004 NBA Draft
First Round
Dwight Howard | Emeka Okafor | Ben Gordon | Shaun Livingston | Devin Harris | Josh Childress | Luol Deng | Rafael Araújo | Andre Iguodala | Luke Jackson | Andris Biedriņš | Robert Swift | Sebastian Telfair | Kris Humphries | Al Jefferson | Kirk Snyder | Josh Smith | J.R. Smith | Dorell Wright | Jameer Nelson | Pavel Podkolzin | Viktor Khryapa | Sergei Monia | Delonte West | Tony Allen | Kevin Martin | Sasha Vujačić | Beno Udrih | David Harrison
Second Round

Anderson Varejão | Jackson Vroman | Peter John Ramos | Lionel Chalmers | Donta Smith | Andre Emmett | Antonio Burks | Royal Ivey | Chris Duhon | Albert Miralles | Justin Reed | David Young | Viktor Sanikidze | Trevor Ariza | Tim Pickett | Bernard Robinson | Ha Seung-Jin | Pape Sow | Ricky Minard | Sergei Lishouk | Vassilis Spanoulis | Christian Drejer | Romain Sato | Matt Freije | Rickey Paulding | Luis Flores | Marcus Douthit | Sergei Karaulov | Blake Stepp | Rashad Wright
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../d/w/i/Dwight_Howard_add6.html"
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