D12 thinks he has the legendary number 33 of the New York Knicks.
Howard turned to X earlier this weekend to tout his NBA legacy: The claims began with a segment by Fox Sports’ Nick Wright on X (in which he claimed Kevin Garnett was “the Kobe (Bryant) to Tim (Duncan’s)” Michael Jordan in the sense that viewers were “afraid” to say Bryant and Garnett were each better than their legendary contemporaries Jordan and Duncan).
Howard joins the debate by demanding that his NBA career be given the same recognition as that of Patrick Ewing, the legendary big man who spent most of his 17-year career with the Knicks.
“Nick, I might be the Kobe to Pat Ewing’s MJ,” Howard claimed. “People are afraid to say I’m better.”
Putting aside the different playing styles of their respective eras, Ewing and Howard began remarkably similar careers: The two were hailed as interior saviors by the Knicks and Orlando Magic, respectively, and were the Association’s No. 1 picks in subsequent drafts. Both played for the Manhattan and Central Florida franchises, setting historic rebounding and defensive records.
The two’s stats are largely the same, although Ewing has a clear edge, 21.0 points per game to 15.7, and averaged two blocks in a career that ironically ended two years before Howard’s pro debut in Orlando.
However, Howard was named Defensive Player of the Year three times and finally won an elusive championship title as a reserve player with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Ewing participated in the NBA Finals twice (1994, 1999), but did not play for the last time due to injury.
Ultimately, it is difficult to say with any certainty who will dominate within, although there is no doubt that each center will have a large following.
Don’t forget to bookmark All Knicks for the latest news, exclusive interviews, movie analysis and more!
