Stan Van Gundy: Rockets Ex Howard Should've Made NBA 75 Over Lakers' Davis

The NBA commemorated its 75th anniversary during the 2021 season by creating a team of the 75 greatest basketball players of all-time (not in order).

Vince Carter, Pau Gasol and Tracy McGrady and many more Hall-of-Fame-caliber players were widely considered as "snubs" as they didn't make the cut. The NBA community also believed that some players that earned the prestigious honor shouldn't have been selected.

Stan Van Gundy believes that former Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard should've made the 75th Anniversary Team over a current Los Angeles Lakers big man.

"You cannot make a case that Anthony Davis, when they picked that team or even now, had a better career than Dwight Howard," Van Gundy told The Players' Tribune. "That’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Howard was among the most common names brought up when discussing which players were snubbed from the elite of the elite list.

Howard's candidacy for the best humans to ever touch a basketball mainly stems from his time with the Orlando Magic. The 2004 first overall pick went to eight consecutive All-Star games in Orlando and has built one of the most impressive statistical resumés on both ends of the floor.

Nevertheless, Howard was also a major factor in the Rockets' success during his three-year tenure in Houston.

Howard decided to sign with the Rockets in the summer of 2013, because he thought 23-year-old James Harden was special.

The duo paired very well over their first two regular seasons together as the Rockets won over 50 games both years. However, they were first round exits in 2014 and lost in five games in the Western Conference finals in 2015.

Year three together was the worst as they finished with a 41-41 record. Sensing he was wrong about the Kobe and Shaq potential, Howard declared for free agency in 2016 and moved on to the Atlanta Hawks.

Davis has been widely considered as one of the best power forwards/centers since he was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets (the year before they changed their name to the Pelicans) with the first overall pick in 2012. Davis was also selected to eight consecutive All-Star games, but his numerous injuries throughout the prime of his career have been one of the main reasons why fans believe Howard deserves the honor over him.

Nevertheless, the two of them aren't adversaries themselves, especially since a they won the NBA Finals with the Lakers during the 2019-20 season.