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Player profile · ATL / CHO / HOU / LAL / ORL / PHI / WAS
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard stats, teams and career impact
#179 all-timeCareer averages · 15.7 PPG · 11.8 RPG · 1.3 APGPeak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
- Position
- Center
- Final NBA team
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Height / weight
- 6 ft 10 in (208 cm) · 265 lb (120 kg)
- Born
- December 8, 1985 (40 yrs old)
- NBA seasons
- 18 seasons · 2004–05 to 2021–22
Career summaryDwight Howard was a center who played 18 NBA seasons, from 2004–05 through 2021–22.
- Career PPG
- 15.7
- Career RPG
- 11.8
- Career APG
- 1.3
- #11 in 2010–11
- #179 all-time
Best-Season Impact Rank
Career Impact Rank
Peak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
Career overview
Why Dwight Howard ranks #179 all time
Dwight Howard ranks #179 all time. Across his three best seasons, his average league finish was #13.7. His full-career value ranks #106, so longevity is a major reason he lands this high.
450+ minutes required per season
1,242 games · Career Value Rank #106
NBA honors8× All-Star · 8× All-NBA · 5× All-Defense · 3× DPOYContext only; honors are not model inputs.
Head to head
Compare Dwight Howard with…
Suggested matchups from basketball rivalries, comparable roles, and similar careers. Compare career impact, peak seasons, and the numbers behind the result.
- Dwight Howard vs. Alonzo Mourning Star defensive centers
- Dwight Howard vs. Dikembe Mutombo Star defensive centers
- Dwight Howard vs. Patrick Ewing Star defensive centers
- Dwight Howard vs. Ben Wallace Defensive frontcourt roles
- Dwight Howard vs. Marcus Camby Defensive frontcourt roles
- Dwight Howard vs. Josh Smith Defensive frontcourt roles
- Dwight Howard vs. Larry Nance Defensive frontcourt roles
- Dwight Howard vs. Moses Malone Similar career path
- Dwight Howard vs. Horace Grant Similar career path
- Dwight Howard vs. Vlade Divac Similar career path
Full player detailsTeam history, career shooting and sources
Full team history
- Teams
- Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers
Career shooting
NBA regular season- Field goal
- 58.7%FG%
- Three-point
- 21.4%3P%
- Free throw
- 56.7%FT%
1,242 career games · 39,457 minutes
Sources and updateConventional stats and measurements: Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 13, 2026. hussEyquation ranking data through 2025–26. Life dates: Wikidata; conflicting dates checked against Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 17, 2026.
Traditional box score
Dwight Howard stats by season
Start with scoring and impact, then switch views for shooting or the full advanced picture. Career percentages use total makes and attempts.
Box impact is an estimate in points per 100 possessions, not the 0–100 Impact Rate score. Zero is league average; higher is better. Rate rank is a league place: No. 1 is best.
Swipe for PPG · RPG · APG · Box impact · Team · G · GS · MPG →
| pts/100 · higher is better | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 0.6 | -0.04 | LAL | 60 | 27 | 16.2 | 61.2% | 53.3% | 65.8% | #167 | 39.8 |
| 2020–21 | 7.0 | 8.4 | 0.9 | -2.18 | PHI | 69 | 6 | 17.3 | 58.7% | 25.0% | 57.6% | #297 | -4.4 |
| 2019–20 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 0.7 | +0.19 | LAL | 69 | 2 | 18.9 | 72.9% | 60.0% | 51.4% | #148 | 60.0 |
| 2018–19 | 12.8 | 9.2 | 0.4 | -4.29 | WAS | 9 | 9 | 25.6 | 62.3% | — | 60.4% | — | -11.1 |
| 2017–18 | 16.6 | 12.5 | 1.3 | +0.46 | CHO | 81 | 81 | 30.4 | 55.5% | 14.3% | 57.4% | #121 | 124.5 |
| 2016–17 | 13.5 | 12.7 | 1.4 | +2.24 | ATL | 74 | 74 | 29.7 | 63.3% | 0.0% | 53.3% | #48 | 189.2 |
| 2015–16 | 13.7 | 11.8 | 1.4 | +0.55 | HOU | 71 | 71 | 32.1 | 62.0% | 0.0% | 48.9% | #112 | 118.2 |
| 2014–15 | 15.8 | 10.5 | 1.2 | -0.03 | HOU | 41 | 41 | 29.8 | 59.3% | 50.0% | 52.8% | #148 | 48.4 |
| 2013–14 | 18.3 | 12.2 | 1.8 | +0.85 | HOU | 71 | 71 | 33.7 | 59.1% | 28.6% | 54.7% | #84 | 136.9 |
| 2012–13 | 17.1 | 12.4 | 1.4 | +0.70 | LAL | 76 | 76 | 35.8 | 57.8% | 16.7% | 49.2% | #97 | 144.5 |
| 2011–12 | 20.6 | 14.5 | 1.9 | +4.13 | ORL | 54 | 54 | 38.3 | 57.3% | 0.0% | 49.1% | #15 | 235.4 |
| 2010–11 | 22.9 | 14.1 | 1.4 | +4.20 | ORL | 78 | 78 | 37.6 | 59.3% | 0.0% | 59.6% | #11 | 345.8 |
| 2009–10 | 18.3 | 13.2 | 1.8 | +3.31 | ORL | 82 | 82 | 34.7 | 61.2% | 0.0% | 59.2% | #23 | 289.6 |
| 2008–09 | 20.6 | 13.8 | 1.4 | +3.85 | ORL | 79 | 79 | 35.7 | 57.2% | 0.0% | 59.4% | #15 | 317.5 |
| 2007–08 | 20.7 | 14.2 | 1.3 | +1.86 | ORL | 82 | 82 | 37.7 | 59.9% | 0.0% | 59.0% | #54 | 232.1 |
| 2006–07 | 17.6 | 12.3 | 1.9 | +2.12 | ORL | 82 | 82 | 36.9 | 60.3% | 50.0% | 58.6% | #50 | 233.3 |
| 2005–06 | 15.8 | 12.5 | 1.5 | +0.67 | ORL | 82 | 81 | 36.8 | 53.1% | 0.0% | 59.5% | #85 | 148.5 |
| 2004–05 | 12.0 | 10.0 | 0.9 | +0.43 | ORL | 82 | 82 | 32.6 | 52.0% | 0.0% | 67.1% | #118 | 127.8 |
| Career | 15.7 | 11.8 | 1.3 | — | ATL/CHO/HOU/LAL/ORL/PHI/WAS | 1242 | — | 31.8 | 58.7% | 21.4% | 56.7% | — | — |
Source: Basketball Reference regular-season totals, accessed Sep 13, 2026.
Film evidence
Dwight Howard highlights
Watch the selected footage or film analysis, then use the season record and impact data to put what happened on the floor in context.
Career highlights
Dwight Howard's top 35 career plays
Dwight Howard's career highlights adds visual context to the numbers on this page, especially his rim protection, rebounding and powerful lob finishing at his peak. The vetted footage complements the season tables and impact model.
What these measures mean
- Box impact
- Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average, from the historical box-score model. Zero is league average; higher is better. Historical defense estimates are included where labeled. This is not the live model's lineup-adjusted estimate.
- Impact Rate
- A 0–100 score comparing performance within one season. Higher is better. This is a score, not points per possession.
- Impact estimate
- The season model's final estimated points per 100 possessions above league average, before conversion to the 0–100 Impact Rate score. It includes lineup evidence where available. Zero is league average; higher is better.
- Impact Rate rank
- The player's place among qualified players in that season's Impact Rate ranking. No. 1 is best. This is a rank, not an impact score.
- Value contribution / Season Value
- Completed seasons use a fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. The live season instead uses Season Value, combining that season's impact with workload.
- Career Impact Rank
- An all-time rank weighted toward the player's best three, five, and ten seasons.
23.2 composite · lower is better
22.4 average league finish
2,776 total value
- Impact Rate
- 0–100 score within one season. Higher is better.
- Box impact
- Estimated points per 100 possessions above league average, from the historical model. Zero is average; higher is better.
Career standing
How Dwight Howard ranks all time
These are league placements, not raw scores. Each season is judged against that season's qualified player pool.
Best in the league
Elite finishes
Upper-tier finishes
Tie-breaker across top-ten seasons
Career Composite Score23.2
Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes receive 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights. Missing seasons receive a replacement finish just below the player's typical qualified field. Lower is better.
- Best 3 effective weight
- 74%
- Missing-season finish
- 352.0
- Qualified seasons
- 17
- All-time rank
- #179
Strongest seasons
Every season
Dwight Howard advanced stats by season
Era-centered box impact supports comparisons through time. Impact Rate and its rank compare players only within that season.
More advanced statsAge, minutes, impact, rank, value and data coverage
Scroll for more columns
| pts/100 · higher is better | 0–100 · higher is better | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | LAL | 36 | 60 | 971 | -0.04 | 56.8 | #167 | 39.8 | 49th | Standard |
| 2020–21 | PHI | 35 | 69 | 1,196 | -2.18 | 19.6 | #297 | -4.4 | 20th | Broad |
| 2019–20Historical Defense Estimate | LAL | 34 | 69 | 1,306 | +0.19 | 58.2 | #148 | 60.0 | 58th | Broad |
| 2018–19Historical Defense Estimate | WAS | 33 | 9 | 230 | -4.29 | — | — | -11.1 | — | Limited |
| 2017–18Historical Defense Estimate | CHO | 32 | 81 | 2,463 | +0.46 | 66.8 | #121 | 124.5 | 79th | Broad |
| 2016–17Historical Defense Estimate | ATL | 31 | 74 | 2,199 | +2.24 | 87.1 | #48 | 189.2 | 87th | Broad |
| 2015–16Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 30 | 71 | 2,280 | +0.55 | 69.4 | #112 | 118.2 | 78th | Broad |
| 2014–15Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 29 | 41 | 1,223 | -0.03 | 60.3 | #148 | 48.4 | 56th | Broad |
| 2013–14Historical Defense Estimate | HOU | 28 | 71 | 2,396 | +0.85 | 75.9 | #84 | 136.9 | 81st | Broad |
| 2012–13Historical Defense Estimate | LAL | 27 | 76 | 2,722 | +0.70 | 72.6 | #97 | 144.5 | 82nd | Broad |
| 2011–12Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 26 | 54 | 2,070 | +4.13 | 95.9 | #15 | 235.4 | 96th | Broad |
| 2010–11Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 25 | 78 | 2,935 | +4.20 | 97.2 | #11 | 345.8 | 98th | Broad |
| 2009–10Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 24 | 82 | 2,843 | +3.31 | 93.5 | #23 | 289.6 | 96th | Broad |
| 2008–09Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 23 | 79 | 2,821 | +3.85 | 95.8 | #15 | 317.5 | 96th | Broad |
| 2007–08Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 22 | 82 | 3,088 | +1.86 | 84.0 | #54 | 232.1 | 90th | Broad |
| 2006–07Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 21 | 82 | 3,023 | +2.12 | 85.3 | #50 | 233.3 | 90th | Broad |
| 2005–06Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 20 | 82 | 3,021 | +0.67 | 74.4 | #85 | 148.5 | 81st | Broad |
| 2004–05Historical Defense Estimate | ORL | 19 | 82 | 2,670 | +0.43 | 65.9 | #118 | 127.8 | 80th | Broad |
Career movement
Dwight Howard's box impact by season
Peak box impact +4.20 points per 100 possessions in 2010–11 · 18 seasons · 39,457 minutes
Box impact estimates points per 100 possessions above each season's league average. Zero is average; higher is better. Rank labels show Impact Rate league places, not ranks on this chart's box-impact scale.
Box impact · points per 100 possessionsMinutes
Player-specific impact scaleWorkload
Career comparison
Compare the shape, not the calendar
Align by NBA experience to compare season one with season one, or by age to compare players at the same stage of life.
Dwight HowardMoses Malone
| NBA season | Dwight Howard | Moses Malone |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| 2 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| 3 | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| 4 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
| 5 | 3.9 | 3.6 |
| 6 | 3.3 | 5.1 |
| 7 | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| 8 | 4.1 | 1.3 |
| 9 | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| 10 | 0.8 | -0.1 |
| 11 | -0.0 | 3.9 |
| 12 | 0.5 | 1.6 |
| 13 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| 14 | 0.5 | -0.5 |
| 15 | -4.3 | -0.5 |
| 16 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| 17 | -2.2 | -6.8 |
| 18 | -0.0 | -1.8 |
| 19 | Did not play | -6.9 |
NBA season number
Similar career arcs
Players with careers similar to Dwight Howard
The career-similarity score compares era-centered box impact, peak, prime, workload, career length, position, and experience-aligned trajectory. It describes career shape, not playing style, equal ability, or probability.
C · All-Time Career #120
Moses Malone
93career similarity score
94/100 closest-season score · 2010–11 ↔ 1980–81PF · All-Time Career #197Horace Grant
92career similarity score
92/100 closest-season score · 2010–11 ↔ 1991–92C · All-Time Career #240Dikembe Mutombo
91career similarity score
92/100 closest-season score · 2010–11 ↔ 1993–94Impact Rate shows how strong a player was compared with everyone else that season. Season Value adds how much he played; completed player-profile rows instead show each season's fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. Career Impact Rank rewards a high peak, a long prime, and repeated seasons near the top. Older seasons use clearly labeled estimates where the NBA did not record today's full set of statistics. Read how every ranking works →