The NBA's Best Big Man?

You would have thought I said who's now when people see this picture. Big Dwight Howard... the freak... the Manchild. Call him what you will. Just don't be so quick to call him the premier big man in the game because I'm sorry, he's not.

Before you sentence me to stoning with boulders via Dwight Howard, understand what I am trying to say here. I have seen him live. His athleticism for his size is remarkable. His rebounding skills are uncanny. Yes, his shoulders look like youth-sized basketballs. Yes, I know he's scoring 23 ppg right now. But he's not the best big man in the game. I argue that he's not even the best young big man. That honor would go to another freak, Amare Stoudemire.

Dwight simply doesn't have the offensive repertoir to justify that standing as the league's premier big body. I'm sorry but when 80% of his baskets come from his own offensive rebounding and 19% come from alley-oops, there's really little to show. He's more like a big-time 'garbage player.' But when it comes to establishing position or gaining an advantage through footwork Dwight finishes miles behind David Lee, never mind Amare Stoudemire... or Carlos Boozer, or Elton Brand, or Kevin Garnett, or Al Jefferson etc... etc.

You may not see that as a bad thing, and in most cases it's not. I mean, yes, he sure would look nice next to Eddy Curry. But with the clock winding down at the end of the game, who do the Magic look for? Are you putting the ball in his hands 1 on 1? I know I wouldn't. And I don't think they would have overpaid Rashard Lewis that much if he could.

Howard is often compared to another recent Basketball Adonis, David Robinson. But even David Robinson didn't win anything until he got Tim Duncan. Here's a picture so you don't forget what he looks like. Oh, I guess you forgot about him. Didn't he JUST win the NBA championship? Did he fall out of his prime that fast? Or are we just enamored by the flashy (yet still amazing) ESPN highlights we're bombarded with on a nightly basis.

Duncan isn't the only oversight. Just as quietly as Tim Duncan's dominated the West, Chris Bosh is quietly doing the similar things in the East. Well, yes, maybe to a much lesser extent, but 22 and 10 shouldn't be ignored. And if you're so quick to point out field goal percentage then have fun explaining to me how Tyson Chandler is a better scorer than Elton Brand.

I am sick and tired of hearing all this hoopla about potential. Potential is the reason why Kwame Brown was taken #1. Potential is why Tim Thomas is still collecting game checks. Potential is why the Knicks, my Knicks, are sitting in last place in the Atlantic Division, the cellar of the NBA. The problem I see with Howard is that he is attaining all of these accolades now, and he will not become the player he could potentially become.

As for now, let's just call a spade a spade. He's an NBA All-Star center. Tell Wilt his standing in history is just fine... for now.