Dwight Howard Throws Down Off-The-Wall, Windmill Dunk

The red caped and blue suited basketball Superman that won the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest in 2008 seems like a distant memory. Dwight Howard‘s spry athleticism has deteriorated since the back surgery he underwent to repair his herniated disk in 2012.

Additionally, Howard’s unceremonious exits from Orlando and Los Angeles, which were engulfed with controversy and drama, tarnished both the big man’s name and legacy. The lauded Man of Steel has quickly transformed into one of the NBA’s most repulsive villains; however, one method Howard can utilize to redeem his repelling behavior is that of a dominating basketball performance similar to the one he’d put on in Orlando.

Howard has certainly shown glimpses of the authoritative presence that allowed him to transcend every other center in the league. In fact, Howard displayed his best performance since the 2011 playoffs– before he suffered his back injury — in the playoffs last May as a Houston Rocket. Here are Howard’s numbers from last year’s playoffs juxtaposed to his numbers from the 2011 postseason, which are eerily similar:

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/25/2014.

Howard eliminated any doubt that the explosive, above-the-rim freak that he was in Orlando still encompasses the kind of player that the big man is, as he effortlessly completed an off-the-wall, windmill dunk.

Should Howard — who was visibly happier, quicker, and more explosive last year than he ever was during his disastrous one-year tenure with the Lakers — reestablish himself as the league’s most dominant force in the paint, the stigma attached to Dwight’s name will undoubtedly dissipate. Of course, Howard has to let go of his incongruous fascination with posting up while utilizing the play that best accentuates his formidable athleticism: the pick and roll.

Howard scored a lousy 0.77 points per possession and turned the ball over at a high 20 percent rate while posting up last season, per MySynergySports. Conversely, he was highly effective in plays where he finished as the roll-man. Between the pick and roll and posting up, guess which play Howard utilized more than 50 percent of his time with the basketball in his hands.

I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t the pick and roll. The 6-foot-10 center spent a measly 7 percent of his possessions as the roll-man, where his 1.31 points per possession ranked third in the NBA. Instead of squandering away many possessions for the Rockets’ with post ups, Howard should divert to embracing the kind of player he truly is —  a spectacularly athletic specimen.

The NBA’s greatest big men in the post (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol) didn’t necessarily possess deadly athleticism á la Dwight Howard. Instead, they bore a high basketball IQ, impeccable footwork, exquisite facilitating ability, and a vast array of post moves.

All of these canny basketball qualities elude Howard — which renders his endeavors to thrive in the post as futile. At the age of 28, Dwight is entering his 10th year in the league; it’s highly unlikely that Howard will effectively equip his game with the necessary tools he needs to succeed in the post. For the most part, the vigorous big man persona defines who he is.

Exploiting facets of his game that will spotlight his strengths will enable this eruptive big man to pulverize everyone in his way as he did with the Magic — and will revitalize his basketball legacy.