Old but on point for today http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=truehoop&id=34789&src=desktop
He has a standing reach of 9'4 and a wingspan of 7'5 I believe. Basketball isn't played with the top of your head. Greg Oden has a standing reach of 9'4. If anything, the fact that he is 'undersized' allows him to be more effective defensively. You're give a 'smaller' more explosive, agile athlete the ability to get up higher/ cover more ground /contest, with that bigger wingspan/higher shoulders, allowing him to effectively play bigger than he is. Shaq had a reach of 9'5, and Yao had one at 9'8. What makes Dwight great defensively is that he has the size/reach, coupled with (still) elite athleticism.
His wingspan and vertical helps a lot. Vertical will not age well, that's why standing reach is the most important factor evaluating physical attributes.
i actually like this thread. howard is not as BIG as i thought he'd be. but he is well proportioned and has good length and vertical. the PF we play next to howard MUST compliment his skills. not JUST offensively, but defensively. we need a good position rebounder with good FT% and touch around the hoop.
His athletic ability and pure strength makes up for any definciencies you could try to label him with.
Good post. Dwight's weight (ESPN stats) also compares favorably to most of the other centers (Jordan, Gasol, Chandler, Barganai, etc). Yes. He is appropriately sized.
We should say that he lacks the overwhelming size advantage that the top centers in the league has had, historically speaking. True 7 footers or guys like Yao Ming. 300 lb battleships like Shaq. Or Ewing, David Robinson, etc. In this respect, his lack of size is surprising. He cannot simply back down defenders with a big butt, Shaq-style. Or shoot over any defender Yao-style.
Another thing: Does Dwight Howard have smallish hands for a guy his height/wingspan? He is a top rebounder and finisher around the basket but bobble more than his share of passes and rebounds rather than catching them cleanly. He also turns the ball over more than his fair share. His "hands" rating is probably more like Yao Ming than Shaq.
I think D12 is a 4/5 Tweener. Not skilled enough to be a 4 and small for a 5. His athleticism covers up for his lack of size at the 5 though.
A fat lazy slob will look the same from wherever they are, but athletes at peak physical condition? Ever watch the olympics? Notice how every black person in the sprinting distances is usually fairly solidly built and from places like the USA, Canada, Jamaica (ex english), whereas the middle/long distance runners are lined with ethiopians, kenyans, nigerians, sudanese? Sure there are exceptions, but it's not altogether different to how most tall white people are from germanic, not mediterranean heritage.
He might be decent player if he had a real position right He's a center, standing reach is the only measurement that matters, and he is longer than most NBA centers, and are we really suggesting Howard isn't strong enough to play center, seriously.
agreed. part of it might be his frustration at not getting the ball enough though. too many times he's seen fighting in the paint for position and then ignored by our perimeter players. and when the ball does get delivered to him, more often than not it's late and out of his sweet spot for easy scores.
