A 26-year-old Dwight Howard was already a Hall of Famer before his career-threatening back injury

In mere 8-years into the league, Dwight Howard’s resume had already earned Hall of Fame status. Unfortunately, a back injury robbed the former Magic rookie of his prime.

It might be difficult for the generation today to believe, but Dwight Howard was a generational talent. The former Slam Dunk Contest champion exhibited unreal athleticism, throwing down alley-oops on a nightly basis. Touted to be the next big thing, Howard was something special.

The first pick in the 2004 Draft, Howard was selected by the Orlando Magic. The franchise believed they had found their next superstar post-Shaquille O’Neal, and they weren’t far away from the truth. The 6″10′ center was rewriting NBA history books, filling up the stat sheet with mindboggling numbers.

However, tragedy struck the big man when he suffered a herniated disc in 2012, ending his season. Howard would also have to withdraw his participation from the Olympics in London. Sadly, this marked the end of what could have been an all-time career.

Also read: “Dwight Howard used to consume 5000 calories and 12 candy bars a day!”: When the Lakers big man got a junk food addiction that derailed his career

It was the end of an era in Orlando, with Howard being traded to the LA Lakers next season. Nonetheless, things weren’t the same for the three-time DPOY, with his athleticism declining.

At age 26, Dwight Howard had a stacked resume.

It’s safe to say that the era of big men is back in the NBA, with the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Joel Embiid leading the way. The current crop of bigs can not only dominate the paint but also shoot the ball.

As we continue to marvel over MVP talents like Giannis, Jokic, and Embiid, one can only imagine the feats Howard could have achieved hadn’t he sustained a back injury. At mere 26 years of age, the former Magic rookie had a Hall of Fame resume.

• 6x All-Star

• 5x All NBA First Team

• 1x All NBA Third Team

• 3x Defensive Player Of The Year

• 4x All-Defense First Team

• 1x All-Defense Second Team

• 4x NBA Rebounder Leader

• 2x NBA Blocks leader

• Runner up to MVP (2011)

Earlier this year, the NBA announced its 75th-anniversary team that had its share of controversies, with Howard’s absence from it causing a storm. Many believe that the former champion was a target of politics, something he concurred with as well.

Also read: “Dwight Howard, you’re soft like a TEDDY BEAR!”: When Kobe Bryant dissed his former teammate by calling him soft following an in-game altercation