Dwight Howard vs. David Robinson: Which Center Would You Start a Franchise With?
Okay, here's the deal. You've been hired as the general manager of a brand new NBA expansion team and you're goal is to build around a superstar center.
You only have two options to choose from: either the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard or former San Antonio Spur David Robinson (in his prime, of course).
Who do you pick?
Every sports fan knows the saying, defense wins championships. If you want your franchise big man to serve as a phenomenal defender, then you certainly can't go wrong with either player.
Howard has been named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year each of the past three seasons (the first player in league history to do so), while Robinson won the honor back in 1992.
Saying both players are remarkable shot-blockers is an understatement. Howard has averaged at least 2.2 blocks per game the last four seasons and Robinson recorded a crazy 4.5 bpg during the 1991-92 campaign.
Both players are standout rebounders as well. Howard grabbed at least 13.2 rebounds per game the last four years, while D-Rob reached at least 10 rpg for the first seven seasons of his career.
So who's the better defender of the two? Well, you probably have to give the edge to Mr. Robinson, even though Howard has three DPOY awards to his one. At the age of 35, Robinson swatted 2.5 shots per game, while the 25-year-old Howard averaged just 2.4 last season.
Howard and Robinson are both known for their D, but they both have excelled on the offensive side of the basketball as well. Robinson, however, is the better scorer of the two big men and well, it's not even close.
Robinson led the entire league in scoring in 1993-94 with 29.8 points per game and put up at least 25 ppg in four different seasons.
In addition, "The Admiral" once dropped 71 points in a single game, the ninth largest point total in NBA history. That's more points than legendary scorers like Michael Jordan or Jerry West ever managed to put up in one contest.
Robinson possessed guard-like quickness which allowed him to drive to the hoop with ease and he could kill defenders on a nightly basis with his mid range jumper.
Howard doesn't have much of a jump shot—at least not yet—and he doesn't have a 71-point game under his belt and more than likely never will. However, he can indeed put the ball in the basket.
Last year, he averaged a career-best 22.9 ppg in the regular season and then upgraded to 27 ppg in the postseason.
If you're looking for your franchise center to be a solid free throw shooter, then Robinson is your man. He shot .736 percent from behind the line for his career, while Howard so far is only at .598 percent.
If you're looking for the better passer, then Robinson is your man once again. He averaged 2.5 assists per game for his career and recorded a career-high of 4.8 in '93-94. Meanwhile, Howard is yet to average over 1.9 apg in a season.
Choosing Howard or Robinson is a win-win situation. Both players are super athletic, can score, rebound, block shots and are liked by pretty much every NBA fan around. You simply can't go wrong with either superstar.
So who would you pick: Superman or the Admiral?
