Dwight Howard Says He's Taking Himself Over Prime Nikola Jokić 'All Day, Everyday'

There's at least one center Dwight Howard would take over Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić right now: Dwight Howard.

The eight-time All-Star said on FanDuel TV's Run It Back he'd choose the prime version of himself over Jokić "all day everyday":

Based on his tone in the interview, Howard seemed to be having some fun.

It's certainly worth thinking about where Jokić will stack up with the greatest centers ever if he keeps along his current trajectory. The 28-year-old is already a two-time MVP and a five-time All-NBA selection, and he might add the title of NBA champion to his résumé this summer.

There's at least a chance Jokić could have a reasonable case to be a fringe top-five center all-time.

When it comes to Howard, some fans might be dismissive of his opinion, but his peak years do get overlooked to an extent because of how quickly he fell off as he got into his 30s.

During his first 10 seasons in the league, he averaged 18.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, and he was an eight-time All-Star along with winning Defensive Player of the Year for three straight seasons.

The Orlando Magic, meanwhile, went to the playoffs five times during Howard's tenure, and their general lack of direction or success after his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012 spoke to his impact there.

Is there a defensive equivalent for the "random player is a bucket" format? If so, that's exactly what Howard was during his best years.