Dwight Howard vs. Damian Lillard Career Comparison: Which Future Hall Of Famer Has Had The Better Career?

Dwight Howard and Damian Lillard are recognized as two of the best players in their positions across their generation. The reason is their impact on the court and pure efficiency has given them plenty of accolades over their respective careers. Dwight Howard has played in 18 seasons, while Lillard is going onto his 11th season in just a few months. Since they stepped foot on an NBA court, their impact has truly been impressive to watch, and they are ranked among the best at their positions when they were at their best. Dwight has been a center all his career and has dominated the paint during his prime. Meanwhile, Damian has been the only true point guard in the game to challenge Chris Paul and Stephen Curry as the best in the world.

Howard is one of the best defensive players of all time, and his size and talent have come in handy for multiple franchises, including the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, among others. A 3-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, Howard is destined for the Hall of Fame. He is also one of her most talented two-way bigs in NBA history, considering how great he was at rolling to the rim and catching lobs. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard has made 6 All-Star Teams and 6 All-NBA Team appearances while forming an identity as one of the greatest offensive players of all time at the point guard spot.

Clearly, both Howard and Lillard are dominant players with some impressive accolades to their names. In order to distinguish between the two future Hall of Famers, it is time to compare the careers of both players by their most significant achievements to get an indication of which one had the better career so far.

Championships

Dwight Howard: 1 (2020)

Damian Lillard: 0

Whenever a debate takes place between two Hall of Fame players, NBA championships are often the first thing that comes up. After all, winning is what matters most, and the greatest player of all time must be a winner of the highest order. Only one player has an NBA title to his name, as Howard won the title during the 2020 season with the Lakers. Unfortunately, Damian has not won a championship so far in his career.

Howard’s role as an interior presence cannot be ignored from the point of view of the Lakers because his experience helped the team play big. No doubt about it, the Lakers’ size and defense were the main reasons they dominated the league during the 2020 season. Dwight was a big part of that, even if he wasn’t the All-Star player who once won 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Damian Lillard never won a title, although he still has time. The point guard is only 32 years old and must win a championship to solidify his legacy as an all-time great talent. But as of right now, the point guard is ringless, and the closest he got was making the Western Conference Finals with the Trail Blazers. For the sake of this comparison, Dwight has the edge in championship rings.

Advantage: Dwight Howard

Finals MVP Awards

Dwight Howard: 0

Damian Lillard: 0

Dwight Howard never received a Finals MVP award because he was unable to earn one while playing for the Orlando Magic. Dwight carried the Orlando Magic against the Los Angeles Lakers, making him the greatest player on the Finals team in 2009. Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers were too strong for Dwight and the Magic to overcome. Of course, a player on the losing team will not win the Finals MVP award if they lose in the Finals. Not to mention that Howard had no chance of winning Finals MVP in 2020 because LeBron James won the award and Anthony Davis finished in second.

So far, Damian Lillard has not won an NBA championship or a Finals MVP award. This is obvious because Lillard never had a great chance to win a title and, therefore, never came close to capturing a Finals MVP award. Lillard made the Western Conference Finals, but his team was never going to defeat the Golden State Warriors. Quite frankly, the West is too stacked, and Lillard has had to endure that. In the end, neither player has a Finals MVP award, and that means there isn’t an advantage for either player during a comparison of their resumes.

Advantage: None

MVP Awards

Dwight Howard: 0

Damian Lillard: 0

The MVP Award is also another major achievement that comes up in debates between star players. The MVP award shows who the best player is throughout an entire regular season, and in the case of most players throughout NBA history, it shows how many times they were the best player in the league. Unfortunately for either player, they never had a shot at winning the MVP award because they never quite managed to be the best player in the NBA at any point. There is nothing to be ashamed about there because both players played in eras where the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all dominated at respective times.

As great as Howard was in his prime, he never quite had the chance to win the MVP award because LeBron was too busy winning four of them. The closest Dwight got to winning the MVP was in 2011 when he finished in 2nd place in MVP voting behind superstar Derrick Rose. Some might argue that Dwight was the MVP in 2011, but it was clear that either Rose or LeBron James was going to win it as the end of that season approached. Again, that should not take away from Howard’s legacy because he was an exceptional player in his prime.

Damian Lillard never came close to winning an MVP award, as he was either on an average team in Portland or was overshadowed by other elite superstars, including Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Unfortunately, Lillard has the talent to win an MVP award but still never managed to make a strong enough case. His closest finish was 4th during the 2018 season when he finished behind winner James Harden. In the end, neither player has won an MVP award in their career.

Advantage: None

All-NBA Teams

Dwight Howard: 8 (5 First Team, 1 Second Team, 2 Third Team)

Damian Lillard: 6 (1 First Team, 4 Second Team, 1 Third Team)

With 18 seasons of experience, Dwight Howard has made the All-Star Team eight times, which is remarkable for a center playing in a sport controlled by guards and forwards over the last decade and a half. During his prime, Howard was a genuine superstar and, for many years, the best center in the league. It might be argued that as a result, Dwight should have been named to more All-NBA Teams than just 8. But Howard should be pleased with himself for making five All-NBA First Team appearances throughout his career, as this is a difficult feat even for the best bigs in the league.

Damian Lillard has made 6 All-NBA Teams, and he has a chance to make many more if he can stay healthy. The point guard still has managed to make the NBA 75th Anniversary Team because even if he should have more accolades, his talent is off the charts as an offensive player. Based on his scoring resume so far, Lillard has had a great career. But as things stand, Lillard does not have the edge over Dwight Howard because he has 6 All-NBA Team selections which do not equal Howard’s 8 selections.

Advantage: Dwight Howard

All-Star Selections

Dwight Howard: 8

Damian Lillard: 6

Eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard was selected to eight consecutive All-Star teams beginning in his third season and lasting through the first year of his stay with the Houston Rockets. Over the eight years that he made the All-Star Team, the center averaged 19.5 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. Overall, Howard’s outstanding size in the paint and ability to score around the rim as a result of his offensive rebounding and lob presence made him a reliable All-Star presence. Dwight used to be a powerful athlete who could burst around the rim, and as he got older, he was still an impact player thanks to his ability to defend the rim and employ his defensive basketball intelligence.

Meanwhile, as Lillard nears age 33, he also has a total of 6 All-Star appearances. It is impressive how many Al-Star appearances Lillard has made through 10 years, as his only seasons missing the All-Star Team came in his rookie season, the past 2022 season, and the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Making 6 All-Star Teams is still nothing to sniff at, and he has a chance to make a few more before his career is up. But as it stands, there is a difference between the two superstar players in All-Star selections, although Lillard will likely pass Dwight over the next three years.

Advantage: Dwight Howard

All-Defensive NBA Teams

Dwight Howard: 5 (4 First Team, 1 Second Team)

Damian Lillard: 0

Dwight Howard is one of the greatest defensive players of all time, and his presence on defense was terrorizing for opponents during the player’s Orlando Magic days. Even as he has aged, Dwight has been a factor on defense because of his experience and elite rim protection. Somehow, Dwight only has 5 All-Defensive Team appearances, of which 4 came in the First Team. For some reason, a player with 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards did not manage to make more All-Defensive Teams. But still, 5 All-Defensive selections look good, with 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards in the end.

This one ends in Dwight Howard’s favor because he has been a better defender than Lillard has. There is no argument that Lillard is not a consistent defender, because the point guard struggled to contain other elite offensive players because he lacks the natural abilities to succeed on defense. The point guard has not made an All-Defensive Team because, quite frankly, that is not his game. As things stand right now, Dwight has made more All-Defensive Teams than Damian Lillard because of his elite paint presence and shot-blocking around the rim, while the point guard will never make an All-Defensive Team.

Advantage: Dwight Howard

Total Win Shares

Dwight Howard: 141.7

Damian Lillard: 94.1

Win Shares is a statistic that tries to allocate a team’s wins for each player on the roster. For example, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar owns the single-season record for Win Shares with 25.4 during 1971-72 on a Milwaukee Bucks team that won 63 games. In terms of contributing to a winning side and helping his side to win games consistently, it is obvious that Dwight Howard has a better win-share rating than Damian Lillard. The future Hall of Fame big was a constant threat when he got close to the basket, and in his heyday, his defense was simply unmatched. His stats benefited from being a number one option for most of his career as a result.

This advanced statistic shows that Damian Lillard was not as responsible for his team’s victories as Dwight was. In fact, when looking at the win shares number as a figure, Howard has the advantage over Lillard in this category by quite a margin. It might have to do with the fact that Dwight accumulated more rebounds and blocks over his career because of his impact as the best big man in the game for at least 5 or 6 years. No matter what the reason is, Lillard’s win shares rating is not as good as Howard’s, and he loses yet another category to a man who did not even make the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Clearly, that NBA 75th Anniversary Team selection might have to be revisited.

Advantage: Dwight Howard

Career Player Efficiency Rating

Dwight Howard: 21.3

Damian Lillard: 22.2

Player Efficiency Rating, better known as PER, is a statistic created by John Hollinger that’s goal is to give each NBA player a comprehensive rating. Hollinger’s PER metric is unique because it combines a player’s positive and negative contributions on the court.

Dwight Howard has a PER rating of 21.3, which puts him in 51st place in all time. Given that there haven’t been many NBA players with at least a PER rating of 21.0, the rating is still impressive. When compared to other big men of his era, Howard’s PER is impressive for a center with little go-to scoring influence in the form of post moves or perimeter shooting. Despite not being a natural scorer, Dwight had a significant influence on both ends of the court, thanks primarily to his outstanding paint presence and rim protection.

Meanwhile, Damian Lillard ranks 35th all-time in PER, with an incredible score of 22.2. The point guard has managed to have a very solid PER score due to his incredible shooting and scoring ability. Because Damian draws constant double teams, he has also formed a career as a very solid playmaker. Taking into account his three-point shooting, scoring, and passing, Damian Lillard has managed to overcome a center with a solid PER figure as well. Nonetheless, Damian Lillard finally won a category, and his PER rating is an all-time great number that exceeds Dwight Howard’s.

Advantage: Damian Lillard

Final Score

Dwight Howard vs. Damian Lillard 5-1

This was not a very close career comparison, even if both players are exceptional players with impactful playing styles. In terms of defending the rim, Dwight Howard is one of the best in his era. Dwight had some of the best athleticism in NBA history for a center, which contributed to his dominance in the post. Dwight was a powerful player, but he also had exceptional speed and explosiveness for someone his height, which allowed him to average at least 18 points per game for six seasons in a row. He is one of the best big men in his position because, even as his athleticism declined with age, his size allowed him to protect the rim. In terms of all-time regular season rankings, Howard is currently ranked 15th in blocks and 11th in rebounds among retired and current players.

Damian Lillard has not played as long as Dwight has in the NBA, and his accolades pale compared to his counterpart in terms of selections and advanced statistics. Lillard is ranked 88th all-time in points scored, and he has a chance to climb the rankings before it is all said and done. But as things stand, Lillard has a long way to go to equal Howard in terms of accolades, and he needs to start cutting the distance as soon as next season. But Lillard is still an excellent all-around player, averaging 24.6 PPG and 6.6 APG over his career, and it is obvious the Portland Trail Blazers star is a better scorer than Dwight ever was.

But in the end, Howard has a significant career advantage over Damian Lillard, and it will likely remain the case unless Lillard can stay healthy over the next few seasons and start making more All-NBA and All-Star appearances. Dwight earns the advantages in this career comparison so far because of his incredible dominance during his prime and his luck of being the first option on a good team in the early part of his career. Of course, the center played longer than Lillard and was a far greater defensive player. Even if Dwight lacked the skills that Lillard has, he made up for it greatly with his powerful physique and incredible ability in the paint. Unless Damian can make a couple more All-Star and All-NBA Team appearances and even win an MVP award, Dwight has a significant career advantage.

The truth is that Dwight Howard deserved more to be in the NBA Top 75 than Damian Lillard. People who vote should compare them and see who has had a better career. What was the reason that Damian Lillard was selected over Dwight Howard? How is it possible that he is even over Klay Thompson, who won 3 championships at that time? This was a huge mistake, and even when we compare Dwight Howard with Anthony Davis, Dwight is the clear winner. 

Dwight Howard deserved to be selected in the NBA Top 75, and maybe his window is closed for the Top 100 because a lot of young players will come in the next 25 years; when you see his resume and compare it with other players, he really deserves to be on both lists.

At least he will be selected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he might win one more championship until his NBA career is over.

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