1. Dwight Howard
Howard was the most dominant center in the NBA during his prime. He made eight straight All-Star appearances, won three Defensive Player of the Year honors, was on five All-Defensive teams, and led the league in rebounding five times. Howard was cleaning the glass, protecting the rim, and dropping 20 points every night. He led the Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009 and was unstoppable.
After leaving Orlando, Howard made stops in Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington before joining the Sixers in 2020. He turned 35 just weeks after signing and was a backup by this point in his career.
The 6’10 big man had just won a championship with the Lakers and averaged 7.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game over 69 contests in Philly. The Sixers made it to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the Hawks in the series that started the Ben Simmons drama.
Dwight Howard returned to the Lakers the following year before heading overseas to continue his career. He was no longer a dominant force, but the 6’10 big man was a quality backup during his lone season with the Sixers.
Who will be the next player to make this list? The Philadelphia 76ers want to build a title team around Joel Embiid, but it is easier said than done. The pressure is on, so stay tuned to see how it all shakes out.
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