Dwight Howard: Rivals Top Choice

Coming into the 2002-2003 season, many college coaches thought that Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta (GA) Christian School's 6-10 big man, was a major impact player. Howard did not disappoint. Howard has continued to improve his overall game. "The kid can play in the NBA," said one high major college coach in the South. "He's that good now."

He is that good. But ready for the NBA? RivalsHoops.com will give its thoughts after the summer. But Howard possesses strength and skills, a hard combination to defend inside the paint. He also has improved his perimeter game. "I worked on it hard the past year," Howard said. "I think I really improved it this past season."

For these reasons, many NBA teams would love to see Howard jump from the high school level to the NBA in the June 2004 draft. "It was a dream of mine when I was younger to make the big jump," Howard previously told us. "But I want to get my education first. So I don't think I will be doing that."

This is excellent news for the college game. Howard, at 225-pounds, had a solid junior season. Howard averaged almost 18 rebounds and 21 points a game. He also shot 72 percent from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the three-point line (38 attempts).

Despite Howard dropping in 50 percent from beyond the three-point line, no one is comparing him to Larry Bird. Howard makes his living within the interior of the defense. But to have another offensive skill only guarantees his future success.

It's because of the many reasons we list above that he is Rivals.com's top choice for pre-summer player of the year.

Howard on the AAU Circuit:

To catch a glimpse of Howard and his outstanding basketball skills, you have to watch Wallace Prather's Atlanta Celtics. Prather does an outstanding job with his program every year. And again, the Celtics are loaded with high division one talent. Look for Howard at the Bob Gibbons Memorial Weekend tournament.

Howard on Education:

"It's my first priority right now. I am only thinking about attending college first. Making the jump from high school to college is tough."

Howard on schools recruiting him:

There is a long list of schools that would love to benefit from his success. Howard has stated he likes the schools in North Carolina especially. "UNC, Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina State," Howard said. "I like them a lot."

More Schools Being Considered:

Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and Tennessee are also listed.

McDonald's Game:

There's no reason to believe he won't be in next year's game. The summer will produce most of the top talent that will be in the McDonald's game in 2004. If Howard produces in the summer like he has during his junior year, he will be on next year's team.

NBA?:

Presently, Howard says he wants to play on the college level. Hopefully, for college basketball fans, he will play for some high major next season. But, remember, he's a 6-10 power forward who can rebound, block shots, and possesses a soft touch on his shot. There will be a large amount of pressure on him next spring, especially if he continues to show he is a top five player.