Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard is NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Orlando Magic 6-foot-11 center Dwight Howard wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by Kia Motors, announced was made Tuesday. Howard is the only the fifth player to lead the league in blocks and rebounds in the same season.
Dwight Howard received 542 points, including 105 first-place votes, from a panel of 119 sportswriters and broadcasters. Cleveland’s LeBron James 148 points and Miami’s Dwyane Wade third with 90 points. Howard, a three-time NBA All-Star, led the NBA in rebounds and blocks, averaging 13.8 boards and 2.92 blocks. He also averaged 20.6 points on .572 shooting from the floor.
The 23-year-old Howard is the youngest player to win the award and the fifth player in NBA history to win the season leading the league in rebounding and blocks. The select group includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L.A. Lakers, 1975-76), Bill Walton (Portland Trail Blazers, 1976-77), Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston, 1989-90) and Ben Wallace (Detroit, 2001-02).
