Rookies Okafor, Howard coming up nothing but big
Jan. 6, 2005
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
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Dwight Howard and Emeka Okafor get together for the second time as professionals in Orlando on Friday night, and we wonder what stories they'll trade.


Dwight Howard has helped turn around the Magic in his rookie season. (Getty Images)
They've now each been up close and personal with the neighborhood bully, Shaquille O'Neal, going home with losses. Both have admittedly experienced some weariness as the NBA grind begins to catch up with them. Despite that, times are good. Their teams are coming off huge upset victories, the Magic turning back Seattle and the Bobcats using a huge late spurt to blow out Minnesota. Their opening acts have been met with nothing but praise.

We have a suggestion -- pinch each other. They're blessed, walking straight in from the amateur ranks and dominating players who have been in the league since before either hit puberty. Neither says he has been surprised by anything he has seen -- pretty much basketball becoming their job. Neither has been surprised because they're the ones doing the surprising.

Orlando and Charlotte had a huge question when it came down to selecting the top pick in the 2004 draft, but it would've worked out the same regardless of which way each went.

Howard and Okafor have amazed with their power and athleticism at such young ages. The last young big man to elicit such a buzz from players was Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, and you've seen the success he has been able to carve out as he grows into a household name.

Those impressive physical gifts are what Magic GM John Weisbrod, Bobcats GM/coach Bernie Bickerstaff and the rest of the league came to see late last spring in camps and workouts. It's no wonder Weisbrod and the Magic had no clue who they actually would take at No. 1 until draft day morning, when they called and told the Bobcats they had decided on Okafor, only to phone them back a few hours later saying it would be Howard.

Howard vs. Okafor
GS PPG RPG APG FG% FT% BPG SPG MPG
Howard 30 10.3 9.9 1.2 .517 .636 1.7 0.83 31.6
Okafor 29 15.8 11.4 1.0 .461 .636 1.4 0.9 36.6
It didn't matter in the end, did it?

These two are headed in Stoudemire's direction, even though the choice made by Orlando has led them on different paths. Top pick Howard has been allowed to mature at his own pace, and because offensive options Steve Francis and Grant Hill are in place, he's relied upon mostly for rebounding and defense.

Okafor has essentially reprised the role he flourished in at UConn, anchoring both sides of the ball and serving as the face of a first-year organization.

"The guy just represents everything that we would like to become, in terms of his competitiveness," Bickerstaff said upon drafting him. "His potential and his upside are really good. But this guy we can build around, and we want to be a defensively oriented basketball team. Defense controls the game. He can get you possessions, he can prevent baskets and he has a great outlet pass."

Typically, if you're talking about a guy's ability to throw an outlet pass, you're reaching. But the Bobcats smartly didn't want to put pressure on their first pick by talking about an offensive game no one could be sure would be there.

SportsLine's All-Rookie Team
Luol Deng, Chicago
Dwight Howard, Orlando
Emeka Okafor, Charlotte
Ben Gordon, Chicago
Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia
Okafor was expected to be a defensive presence first and have his offense catch up. Instead, he has come right in and embraced the challenge of improving his post game on the run, living off put-backs to remain productive while the growth process takes place. Now we all know he has a pretty nice touch around the basket and a blossoming post game fueled mostly by his great quickness. That allows him to be a focal point.

After pacing himself early and allowing fellow big man Primoz Brezec to be the guy early, Okafor became more assertive and started taking more shots. Since the Bobcats' seventh game, back on Nov. 18 against Cleveland, he has attempted at least a dozen field goals in every game.

His string of 19 consecutive double-doubles snapped on Monday night in Cleveland, but he rebounded with 18 and 10 on Wednesday against Kevin Garnett and Co. With 22 for the season, he ranks third in the league, and he trails only New York's Nazr Mohammed in offensive boards. The extra chances he affords the Bobcats have been vital to keeping them competitive.

Howard has only taken as many as 12 shots in a game twice in his 30-game career. That hasn't kept him from being the Magic's rebounding leader, reaching double-figures in boards 17 times. Remaining active despite not getting the touches so many veterans gripe about tells you about his integrity and desire to simply contribute.

"That will come in time," Howard said. "You try to get better every day. Just putting in the work in the gym and on my game and helping this team win. That's all we're concerned about. I'm just going to keep working and learning."

Orlando will look to even the season series with their Southeast Division rival, which won its first game as a franchise at the Magic's expense. The Bobcats won the season's second game 111-100. Okafor had 12 points and 14 boards, while Howard, perhaps excessively active, finished with 12 rebounds in just 23 minutes as he wrestled with foul trouble.

This game will be more compelling in terms of a rookie matchup because they've not only improved since, but also gained confidence in what they're able to do.

The top two picks of the 2004 draft have already accomplished something few rookies manage: They've not only lived up to the hype -- they've surpassed it. LeBron James couldn't do that a year ago, if only because the hype was too great. Darko Milicic won a ring but saw less action than your average D-I walk-on.

These guys, a different breed from their predecessors, have excelled in the world of the NBA big man. That's scary since, both professionally and physically speaking, the boys are still growing.


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