9. Dwight Howard (2004):
Even before he developed a body befitting of one of the Gods on Mount Olympus, Dwight Howard as a physical beast down low in the paint with the projected ability to finish around the rim with a variety of moves using both hands, but also with a startling ability to shoot from a bit further out or capably pass the ball out to shooters. Teams openly threw around the “Kevin Garnett” comparison for Howard, while acknowledging he should be even bigger and stronger than the wiry Garnett.
Still, there were plenty of teams who wondered whether the Orlando Magic, who had the #1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, were better off taking a “proven commodity” in Emeka Okafor, especially considering the concerns about how much Howard really wanted to become a dominant player were there from day one.