When it comes to talking about who the GOAT is, it’s usually Michael Jordan and LeBron James. For ex-Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard, however, he believes that a big man is the GOAT in the NBA. On Saturday, Howard was inducted into the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. During his speech, he revealed who he thinks the GOAT in the league is.
During his enshrinement speech, he was presented by three iconic big men: Shaquille O’Neal, Robert Parish and Patrick Ewing. Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins was also one of Howard’s presenters.
The former Magic star took the time to share a message of how he was inspired by legendary big men in the NBA in his speech.
“So first I want to shout out to the Chief. The Chief, my grandma used to love the Chief. So I want to give you a shout out for walking me out,” Howard said about Parish.
“Shout out to Bill Russell. May he rest in peace. This year marks 50 years since his enshrinement. Your book, Russell Rules, allowed me to understand the game at a whole different level,” he continued.
“Also rest in peace, Dikembe Mutombo. One of the greatest defenders and shot blockers ever. You motivated me to challenge every shot and battle for every shot. So thank you.
The fourth big man he thanked was former Los Angeles Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The former Orlando Magic star expressed how he was inspired and singled him out as the greatest player to ever play.
“Kareem, I wish you could be here because you are my GOAT. You are the only player in NBA history to have two Hall of Fame careers. One as Lou Alcindor and the other as Kareem. I’m gonna get me a new name to come back and play y’all.”
Looking at the Hall of Fame case of the former Orlando Magic star
In his prime, Howard was a force to be reckoned with. He didn’t just excel offensively; he also took over the league with his imposing defense. After all, the former Magic star has proven it with his three Defensive Player of the Year awards. He’s also the only player to win the award in three consecutive years.
He also led the Orlando Magic to multiple playoff appearances, including a Finals appearance in 2009. The former No. 1 overall pick in 2004 was at the top of his game when he was with the Magic.
Howard was an eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive player, the 2005 Rookie of the Year and a one-time NBA champion. He finished his career with 19,485 points, 14,627 rebounds and 2,228 blocks (15th all-time in the league).
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
