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Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary Season: The top 35 players in Orlando Magic history

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Orlando Magic center Shaquille O'Neal dominated the 1995 Playoffs, becoming the champion who would dominate the league for a decade. (Photo by Allsport/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic center Shaquille O'Neal dominated the 1995 Playoffs, becoming the champion who would dominate the league for a decade. (Photo by Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis
The Orlando Magic have had some transformative players and moments that have helped shape the NBA. (Photo by Larry W. Smith-Pool/Getty Images) /

Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history

1. Dwight Howard (2005-12)

By Coby Leibowitz

Dwight Howard is the greatest player in Orlando Magic history and it shows in all aspects.

He has got the accolades, the stats and the fans love to prove it. Howard was drafted with the first overall pick in the draft in 2014 and he did not disappoint. His eight seasons on the Magic are some of the most memorable in Magic history.

With the Magic, Howard averaged 18.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks per game on 57.7 percent field goal shooting in 36.2 minutes per game. He totaled up 457 double-doubles including 69 in one season and he got one triple-double. He had 52 games with at least 30 points, four 40-point games and 50 games with 20 or more rebounds in a game.

He had career highs of 22.9 points per game, 14.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in a single season. Howard could do it all and was elite at all aspects of the game offensively and defense.

Howard won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards while playing for the Magic, and made six All-Star games, including multiple years as the leading votegetter as he dominated the center position in his time. He won 18 Player of the Week awards and six Player of the Month awards. Howard was top 5 in MVP voting four times.

Howard would also get noticed league-wide as the best center in the NBA for years.

He was on the All-Rookie first team, a six-time All-NBA first-team selection, a two-time second teamer and third teamer and a five-time All-NBA defensive team member, with four of those on the first team. He led the league in rebounds five times, he led the league in offensive rebounds once, he led the league in blocks and blocks per game twice and led the league in field goal percentage once.

All the numbers and accolades speak volumes about Howard. But his best memories came in the year that he led the Magic to the Finals in 2009. Although they did not win it all that season, his playoffs were incredible.

On a team where the only other all-star available was Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard was the star of the show. He willed the team to the finals on both sides of the floor, finishing off the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers with a classic 40-point, 14-rebound performance in Game 6 at the Amway Arena.

That entire Playoff run, he averaged 20.4 points, 15.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.9 assists per game.

For the Magic franchise, Howard is number one in all rebounding categories, points, free throws made, defensive rating and win shares.

Next. Ranking every Orlando Magic Playoff Series. dark

Howard will forever be remembered as a Magic legend, from the awards, to the Finals run to dressing up as Superman and winning the slam dunk contest Dwight is proudly the best Magic player of all time.