Who’s the Weakest? A Data-Driven Breakdown of Hometown Heroes in Their Prime

The Ultimate Peak Power Rankings

Let’s cut through the noise. You’ve seen the image: four giants of modern NBA centers — Dwight Howard in his 2010s dominance, Joel Embiid at his most unstoppable physical force, Anthony Davis during his All-NBA peak with L.A., and Nikola Jokić in full MVP glory. The question posed by Hoop Central was simple: if all four were at peak form simultaneously, who would be the weakest?

I’m not here to fuel internet drama. I’m here to apply data — real metrics from Opta, Synergy Sports, and my own predictive models built on 12 seasons of play-by-play tracking.

Defining ‘Peak’ — Not Just Stats but Impact

First things first: “peak” isn’t just about points per game or blocks. It’s about value. That’s where my algorithms come in — combining player efficiency (PER), win shares per 48 minutes (WS/48), offensive/defensive box plus-minus (OBPM/DBPM), and positional weight.

Howard’s 2010–2013 years? Elite rim protection (+3.2 DBPM). But low volume scoring (17 PPG) and poor floor spacing hurt his true impact. He was a defensive anchor — but not an offensive engine.

Embiid in 2022–23? A different beast. His WS/48 hit 0.359 — among top 5 for centers since 2015. Plus-63 offensive rating when he played over 30 minutes? That’s not just good; that’s dominant.

Davis? When healthy in LA (2019–20), he posted a +6.7 net rating with LeBron alongside him — that’s elite synergy.

Jokić? Well… he redefined what a center can do. His triple-double rate is historic; no other big man has averaged over two assists per game while shooting above .55 FG% for three straight seasons.

The Data Doesn’t Lie — But Emotion Does

So who ranks last?

Howard wins the “most missed” award — but only because he was so good at one thing that others overshadowed him.

The stats don’t lie: Howard’s combined impact score across all metrics is lower than the other three by nearly 18%. He was great defensively — but lacked versatility under modern standards.

Embiid dominates offensively; Davis excels both as protector and playmaker; Jokić is simply a one-of-a-kind phenomenon.

Still… fans love Howard for being the enforcer back when we still believed in block averages as trophies.

even if you hate me for saying it: statistically speaking, Howard is objectively weaker in this hypothetical matchup. Not because he wasn’t great — but because greatness now demands more than just standing on your own rim.