# Dwight Howard vs. Emeka Okafor



## lw32 (May 24, 2003)

Emeka Okafor?








Dwight Howard?

Pretty simple, obviously the Magic have to choose between taking Okafor or Howard with the number 1 pick.
Both players measured in at 6'10 in Chicago, but Howard had the length advantage on Okafor.
Okafor does have 3 years on Howard in college experience but then again Howard is younger and has more time to develop.
Okafor is more of the "sure thing" coming out of UConn after winning the championship, but Howard has more of the "potential" to be an offensive and defensive superstar.
Howard has the size to eventually play center, but Okafor also has the strength and mass edge on Howard. Anyhow, Howard is the more likely to eventually play center.

So, who should we pick?


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Lachlanwood32</b>!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That appears to be the million dollar question right now.

What Orlando does could have a pretty big impact on how things fall in the draft overall.

Especially if they consider trading the pick.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

After looking at the picture..it makes we want to take howard..ewww..why would anyone take that picture of emeka..hehe..he has back problems etc. is shown in that pic.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

In chicago, players were asked to bench press 185 pounds. 

diwght howard came away with 7 reps. 

okafor had 22 

this is a rumor i guess.


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## lw32 (May 24, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>courtside</b>!
> In chicago, players were asked to bench press 185 pounds.
> 
> diwght howard came away with 7 reps.
> ...


I don't think a bench press means that much honestly, because when was the last time somebody had to bench press something in a basketball game? Sure, maybe if the backboard falls on Howard next time he breaks one he might have some trouble.
I just don't really see how a bench press translates to a players game, I mean sure they might be a beast in the weight room...but who says they'll use that force on the basketball court? I'm not saying that Okafor won't use it, but also remember Howard doesn't have the 3 years of a college programs weight program behind him.
Hopefully if Okafor can bench 22 times his back will be no problem if we take him.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

yeah it doesnt mean much..hehe..at least that means his back is VERY HEALTHY now..hehe..well not really b/c it has not much to do w/ benching..oh well.


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>courtside</b>!
> In chicago, players were asked to bench press 185 pounds.
> 
> diwght howard came away with 7 reps.
> ...


I don't think that's a rumor, it's more of a fact. It's been reported in various newspapers and websites, so I think it's true. Considering Okafor weighs almost 20 pounds more than Howard, I'm not surprised. Dwight will put on more muscle once he enters the league, and depending on how tall he ends up getting, could end up weighing more than Okafor and could get stronger than him. At this point Okafor is built, and Howard is really raw, so the fact that Okafor can bench press 185 pounds more than three times as many reps as Howard shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to anyone.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>courtside</b>!
> yeah it doesnt mean much..hehe..at least that means his back is VERY HEALTHY now..hehe..well not really b/c it has not much to do w/ benching..oh well.


Your back may not be directly used in benching, but I have had a bad back before in various forms from just a pulled muscle to back spasms and in those situations, I couldnt imagine laying down and trying to bench.

You use your back muscles for so many different things, once you've got a back injury you realize that.

IMO, it would appear the back issues are past issues.


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> IMO, it would appear the back issues are past issues.


I agree, I think it's fair to believe him when he says it was a back injury, not a back problem.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

yeah..the main point of that post was to show that okafor's back is fine.. 

btw..isnt dwight howard 18,19?? if so..his growth spurt has slowed down..maybe he grows very little until 20,21 i guess. which means now that his body has stopped growing up..he can gain more weight


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>courtside</b>!
> yeah..the main point of that post was to show that okafor's back is fine..
> 
> btw..isnt dwight howard 18,19?? if so..his growth spurt has slowed down..maybe he grows very little until 20,21 i guess. which means now that his body has stopped growing up..he can gain more weight


Howard says that doctors told him he'll grow 2 or 3 more inches. Take that for what it's worth, it's coming from Howard, not the doctors, and you never know how that stuff works out. But it's not totally unheard of, supposedly Kwame Brown has grown almost 2 inches since the Wizards drafted him, and the Pistons say Darko grew during the season.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>hobojoe</b>!
> 
> 
> Howard says that doctors told him he'll grow 2 or 3 more inches. Take that for what it's worth, it's coming from Howard, not the doctors, and you never know how that stuff works out. But it's not totally unheard of, supposedly Kwame Brown has grown almost 2 inches since the Wizards drafted him, and the Pistons say Darko grew during the season.


If he did grow another 2 inches and concentrated on becoming a center, he could become pretty devastating.

But regardless of what the doctors say, they really dont know. I was supposed to end up being about 6'4" and once I hit just about 6', maybe a little over, I was all done from there. And that was at about 18 yrs old.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

Maybe he'll be taking some steroids to help him grow?? or already has thats why he is still growing? i dont know.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

When someone asked Okafor about T-Mac’s wish that the Magic trade the #1 pick for a veteran player so that they can win now, Okafor responded like this: “That’s him. He’s trying to earn a living. If that’s what he feels, so be it. I’m tough skinned. I’m not somebody who gets my feelings hurt and wants to cry … Whatever.”


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## ocard (Nov 28, 2003)

If you believe the so-called experts, they compare Howard's potential to Kevin Garnett and Okafor's to Alonzo Mourning. For the sake of argument let's say they're exactly right, Howard=KG and Okafor=Zo. Which player would be the best pick for the Magic this year? 

IMO this team would be better off with a Zo, rather than a KG. I know that KG is a freak and still has the potential to be one of the all time best, but remember he took time to develop. Zo came in and almost immediately became a franchise player who would likely still be a formidable big man if not for health problems. 

I cast my vote for Okafor


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>ocard</b>!
> If you believe the so-called experts, they compare Howard's potential to Kevin Garnett and Okafor's to Alonzo Mourning. For the sake of argument let's say they're exactly right, Howard=KG and Okafor=Zo. Which player would be the best pick for the Magic this year?
> 
> IMO this team would be better off with a Zo, rather than a KG. I know that KG is a freak and still has the potential to be one of the all time best, but remember he took time to develop. Zo came in and almost immediately became a franchise player who would likely still be a formidable big man if not for health problems.
> ...


I agree totally. Althought it still depends on whether or not Tmac is still around. But the more and more I hear, the more and more it sounds like Howard will end up as more of a perimeter PF or even occasionally SF. That isnt what Orlando needs. And I read a quote somewhere today or yesterday of Howard saying he hates playing center, so there goes some people's dream of the next David Robinson.

Okafor is the right fit for Orlando right now.


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## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>ocard</b>!
> If you believe the so-called experts, they compare Howard's potential to Kevin Garnett and Okafor's to Alonzo Mourning. For the sake of argument let's say they're exactly right, Howard=KG and Okafor=Zo. Which player would be the best pick for the Magic this year?
> 
> IMO this team would be better off with a Zo, rather than a KG. I know that KG is a freak and still has the potential to be one of the all time best, but remember he took time to develop. Zo came in and almost immediately became a franchise player who would likely still be a formidable big man if not for health problems.
> ...


I agree with you. Also, Okafor has a MUCH better chance of being a Zo-type talent than Howard does of turning into Garnett.


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## Charlotte_______ (May 18, 2003)

Either way, I think the Magic and Bobcats will be very happy with whom they select. Honestly I don't care, both teams need a big man, Im thinking the Magic will take Okafor, because he is 6'10" and can play C, while the Magic have Gooden and Howard already. dwight mentioned he likes to play the 3(?) or 4, so Im not sure why the Magic will take him.


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## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

Post I made on RealGM on behalf of Okafor: 

Everybody talks about Howard's potential but what about Okafor's potential? Okafor has probably played MUCH less basketball in his lifetime than Howard. Okafor's offensive potential to me is scary. He couldn't score to save his life as a freshman, and then two years later he's putting up close to twenty points a game on the highest level of college basketball. He has only begun to tap his potential. I'd go as far as to compare his situation to when we got T-Mac. T-Mac was just beginning to tap his enormous potential, but he still had a lot of improving to do as we found out. Okafor still has a lot of improving to do. He still has a lot of time to develop a mid-range jumper and improve his post moves. Mark my words we will regret passing on him. BTW, this all on the offensive side of the ball. Let's not forget Okafor is a good enough defensive player to make an All-Defense team RIGHT NOW. We need to take Okafor, but we won't.


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## Kezersoze (Mar 3, 2004)

I have a strong feeling that the magic do not take Okafor, I like both guys personally but I see Howard as more of a 3/4 like when KG came in than a Center which is what Orlando needs. Orlando needs a strong low post player to anchor there defense and with Francis/Mobley potentially on the way, with there offense that could make the magic a real contender in the east. BTW did anyone watch the nba draft preview wednesday? Dwight Howard sounded just like Deebo! lol


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## Lurch (Nov 3, 2003)

First of all if the Magic think Okafor or Howard are the future of the Magic Gooden and Juwon Howard need to be traded.

No sense having 3 good PF's and having all terrible PG's,and Centers!! Howard and J. Gooden dont play defense anyway! 

I think the Magic should pick Howard. Taller, more athletic, better scorer, already very strong!


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