Darryl Dawkins vs. Dwight Howard Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dwight Howard and Darryl Dawkins, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Darryl Dawkins played 14 years in the NBA, 4 less than Dwight Howard, who played 18. Darryl Dawkins had the first of his seasons in 1975-76, while Dwight Howard had his rookie season in 2004-05. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Darryl Dawkins 14 10 1975-76 to 1988-89
Dwight Howard 18 12 2004-05 to 2021-22

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18

Rookie Season

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1975-762004-05
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 37 4.5 2.4 0.4 0.9 1.3 0.1 0.1 0.2 - 1.1 1.1 2.2 .500 - - - 0.2 0.6 .333
Dwight Howard 82 32.6 12.0 3.5 6.5 10.0 0.9 0.9 1.7 2.0 2.8 4.3 8.3 .520 0.0 0.0 .000 3.4 5.0 .671
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1976-772005-06
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards
Playoffs 76ers Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 59 11.6 5.3 1.0 2.9 3.9 0.4 0.2 0.8 - 2.2 2.3 3.6 .628 - - - 0.7 1.3 .506
Dwight Howard 82 36.8 15.8 3.5 9.0 12.5 1.5 0.8 1.4 2.6 3.4 5.7 10.7 .531 0.0 0.0 .000 4.3 7.3 .595
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 18 18.4 7.3 0.5 4.9 5.4 0.9 0.4 1.0 - 2.6 2.8 5.3 .526 - - - 1.7 2.6 .660
Dwight Howard ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1977-782006-07
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf FinalsMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 70 24.6 11.7 1.7 6.3 7.9 1.2 0.5 1.8 1.8 3.8 4.7 8.2 .575 - - - 2.2 3.1 .709
Dwight Howard 82 36.9 17.6 3.5 8.8 12.3 1.9 0.9 1.9 3.9 3.0 6.4 10.6 .603 0.0 0.0 .500 4.8 8.1 .586
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 10 18.0 6.3 0.6 5.1 5.7 1.0 0.3 1.5 1.4 3.4 2.7 5.3 .509 - - - 0.9 1.7 .529
Dwight Howard 4 41.8 15.3 4.0 10.8 14.8 1.8 0.5 1.0 4.3 3.3 5.8 10.5 .548 0.0 0.0 - 3.8 8.3 .455

Season 4

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1978-792007-08
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisMagic Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 78 26.1 13.1 1.6 6.5 8.1 1.6 0.4 1.8 2.5 3.8 5.5 10.7 .517 - - - 2.0 3.0 .672
Dwight Howard 82 37.7 20.7 3.4 10.8 14.2 1.3 0.9 2.1 3.2 3.3 7.1 11.9 .599 0.0 0.0 .000 6.5 10.9 .590
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 9 28.3 16.0 2.3 6.8 9.1 1.3 0.2 1.8 1.9 4.7 6.2 11.8 .528 - - - 3.6 5.2 .681
Dwight Howard 10 42.1 18.9 6.0 9.8 15.8 0.9 0.8 3.4 3.2 3.8 7.2 12.4 .581 0.0 0.0 - 4.5 8.3 .542

Season 5

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1979-802008-09
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost NBA FinalsMagic Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 80 31.8 14.7 2.5 6.2 8.7 1.9 0.6 1.8 2.9 4.1 6.2 11.8 .522 0.0 0.1 .000 2.4 3.6 .653
Dwight Howard 79 35.7 20.6 4.3 9.6 13.8 1.4 1.0 2.9 3.0 3.4 7.1 12.4 .572 0.0 0.0 .000 6.4 10.7 .594
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 18 33.7 17.3 2.4 5.2 7.6 1.8 0.7 2.3 2.6 4.2 7.0 13.2 .529 0.0 0.2 .000 3.3 5.2 .645
Dwight Howard 23 39.3 20.3 4.3 11.0 15.3 1.9 0.9 2.6 2.9 4.4 7.0 11.7 .601 0.0 0.1 .000 6.3 9.9 .636

Season 6

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1980-812009-10
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf FinalsMagic Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 76 27.5 14.0 1.4 5.8 7.2 1.4 0.5 1.5 2.9 4.2 5.6 9.2 .607 0.0 0.0 - 2.9 4.0 .720
Dwight Howard 82 34.7 18.3 3.5 9.7 13.2 1.8 0.9 2.8 3.3 3.5 6.2 10.2 .612 0.0 0.1 .000 5.9 10.0 .592
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 16 26.3 13.8 1.8 4.4 6.1 0.9 0.2 1.0 2.3 4.4 5.4 9.6 .562 0.0 0.0 - 3.1 4.3 .721
Dwight Howard 14 35.5 18.1 2.7 8.4 11.1 1.4 0.8 3.5 3.6 4.2 6.1 10.0 .614 0.0 0.0 - 5.9 11.3 .519

Season 7

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1981-822010-11
Team Philadelphia 76ersOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost NBA FinalsMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 48 23.4 11.0 1.4 4.9 6.4 1.1 0.4 1.1 2.0 4.0 4.3 7.6 .564 0.0 0.0 .000 2.4 3.4 .695
Dwight Howard 78 37.6 22.9 4.0 10.1 14.1 1.4 1.4 2.4 3.6 3.3 7.9 13.4 .593 0.0 0.1 .000 7.0 11.7 .596
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 21 21.9 11.0 1.1 3.6 4.7 0.5 0.3 1.7 1.8 4.5 4.7 8.5 .556 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.4 .660
Dwight Howard 6 43.0 27.0 4.5 11.0 15.5 0.5 0.7 1.8 5.5 4.2 8.5 13.5 .630 0.0 0.2 .000 10.0 14.7 .682

Season 8

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1982-832011-12
Team New Jersey NetsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 81 25.8 12.0 1.6 3.6 5.2 1.4 0.8 1.9 3.5 4.7 5.0 8.3 .599 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.2 .646
Dwight Howard 54 38.3 20.6 3.7 10.8 14.5 1.9 1.5 2.1 3.2 2.9 7.7 13.4 .573 0.0 0.1 .000 5.2 10.6 .491
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 2 29.5 18.0 1.0 4.0 5.0 1.0 2.0 2.5 4.0 3.5 8.5 11.0 .773 0.0 0.5 .000 1.0 1.0 1.000
Dwight Howard ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1983-842012-13
Team New Jersey NetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf SemisLakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 81 29.8 16.8 2.0 4.7 6.7 1.5 0.7 1.7 2.9 4.8 6.3 10.6 .593 0.0 0.1 .400 4.2 5.7 .735
Dwight Howard 76 35.8 17.1 3.3 9.1 12.4 1.4 1.1 2.4 3.0 3.8 6.2 10.7 .578 0.0 0.1 .167 4.7 9.5 .492
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 11 30.9 18.4 2.0 4.2 6.2 1.2 0.5 0.9 2.9 4.7 6.0 10.7 .559 0.0 0.3 .000 6.4 7.5 .843
Dwight Howard 4 31.5 17.0 2.5 8.3 10.8 1.0 0.5 2.0 4.0 4.3 6.5 10.5 .619 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 9.0 .444

Season 10

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1984-852013-14
Team New Jersey NetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 39 24.9 13.5 1.4 3.2 4.6 1.2 0.4 0.9 2.4 4.4 4.9 8.7 .566 0.0 0.0 .000 3.7 5.2 .711
Dwight Howard 71 33.7 18.3 3.3 8.9 12.2 1.8 0.8 1.8 3.2 3.4 6.7 11.3 .591 0.0 0.1 .286 4.9 9.0 .547
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 3 21.3 8.3 1.3 3.3 4.7 1.3 0.7 2.0 2.3 4.3 3.7 7.7 .478 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.3 .750
Dwight Howard 6 38.5 26.0 4.5 9.2 13.7 1.8 0.7 2.8 3.2 4.2 9.7 17.7 .547 0.0 0.0 - 6.7 10.7 .625

Season 11

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1985-862014-15
Team New Jersey NetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdRockets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 51 23.7 15.3 1.7 3.3 4.9 1.5 0.3 1.2 2.4 4.5 5.6 8.6 .644 0.0 0.0 .000 4.1 5.8 .707
Dwight Howard 41 29.8 15.8 2.7 7.8 10.5 1.2 0.7 1.3 2.8 3.3 6.1 10.3 .593 0.0 0.0 .500 3.5 6.6 .528
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 1 17.0 10.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 4.0 4.0 6.0 .667 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.0 .667
Dwight Howard 17 33.8 16.4 3.6 10.4 14.0 1.2 1.4 2.3 2.2 3.5 6.2 10.7 .577 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 9.7 .412

Season 12

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1986-872015-16
Team New Jersey NetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 6 17.7 9.5 1.5 1.7 3.2 0.3 0.3 0.5 2.5 4.2 3.3 5.3 .625 0.0 0.0 - 2.8 4.0 .708
Dwight Howard 71 32.1 13.7 3.4 8.4 11.8 1.4 1.0 1.6 2.3 3.1 5.2 8.5 .620 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 6.7 .489
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 5 36.0 13.2 5.2 8.8 14.0 1.6 0.8 1.4 2.4 4.2 5.2 9.6 .542 0.0 0.2 .000 2.8 7.6 .368

Season 13

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1987-882016-17
Team Utah Jazz, Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 6 5.5 1.7 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.0 0.3 1.2 2.3 0.3 1.5 .222 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 2.5 .400
Dwight Howard 74 29.7 13.5 4.0 8.7 12.7 1.4 0.9 1.2 2.3 2.7 5.2 8.3 .633 0.0 0.0 .000 3.1 5.7 .533
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 6 26.2 8.0 3.0 7.7 10.7 1.3 1.0 0.8 1.8 3.5 3.0 6.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.2 .632

Season 14

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season 1988-892017-18
Team Detroit PistonsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins 14 3.4 1.9 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.9 0.6 1.4 .474 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.3 .500
Dwight Howard 81 30.4 16.6 3.1 9.3 12.5 1.3 0.6 1.6 2.6 3.1 6.2 11.2 .555 0.0 0.1 .143 4.1 7.2 .574
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard ------- --- ----------

Season 15

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season -2018-19
Team -Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 9 25.6 12.8 2.7 6.6 9.2 0.4 0.8 0.4 1.8 3.8 4.8 7.7 .623 0.0 0.0 - 3.2 5.3 .604
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard ------- --- ----------

Season 16

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season -2019-20
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 69 18.9 7.5 2.5 4.9 7.3 0.7 0.4 1.1 1.2 3.2 2.9 4.0 .729 0.0 0.1 .600 1.6 3.1 .514
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 18 15.7 5.8 1.8 2.8 4.6 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.9 3.1 2.2 3.2 .684 0.1 0.1 .500 1.4 2.5 .556

Season 17

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season -2020-21
Team -Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 69 17.3 7.0 2.8 5.7 8.4 0.9 0.4 0.9 1.6 2.9 2.6 4.4 .587 0.1 0.3 .250 1.8 3.0 .576
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 12 12.4 4.7 2.2 4.1 6.3 0.7 0.2 0.5 1.0 2.6 1.3 2.5 .533 0.0 0.1 .000 2.0 3.3 .600

Season 18

Darryl Dawkins Dwight Howard
Season -2021-22
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard 60 16.2 6.2 2.0 4.0 5.9 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.8 1.9 2.2 3.7 .612 0.1 0.3 .533 1.6 2.4 .658
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Darryl Dawkins ------- --- ----------
Dwight Howard ------- --- ----------