New Orleans — Shaquille O'Neal hasn't exactly passed the NBA's best-big-man baton to Dwight Howard just yet.

Not officially.

AP (ENLARGE)

The 6-foot-11, 270-pound Dwight Howard is averaging career highs in points (21.7) and rebounds (14.6), leading the league in the latter. He's also leading the league in free-throw attempts (634) and double-doubles (46) and ranks fourth in the blocks (2.4), another career-high.

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But Howard's arm is extended, his massive hand open and ready to receive the crown that the aging O'Neal is soon to bequeath him as not only the league's most dominant big man but also as its most loquacious and hilarious over-sized personality.

O'Neal's absence from the official portion of All-Star Weekend for the first time in 14 years has left a void the size of a skyscraper in the festivities going on here. It's a void Howard, the former Southwest Atlanta Christian star making his second straight All-Star Game appearance for the Magic, is eager to fill.

"Dwight is truly amazing, he's a freak of nature," said Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul. "This being my first All-Star Game, I'm always used to seeing Shaq there. It doesn't even feel right now with Shaq not being here.

"But it's a great opportunity for Dwight. And he might as well book his rooms at All-Star for the next ... until he gets tired of it. Because, like Shaq before him, he's going to be a staple here for a long time to come."

King of comedy

Howard's face is plastered, two stories high, on an adidas ad across a building facing the French Quarter for all to see.

It's not nearly as stunning a sight as was seen last year in Las Vegas, when Howard's jersey was draped over a replica of the Statue of Liberty on the famed strip and his image splashed across the entire side of a casino.

After an hilarious impromptu dance session with O'Neal during last year's All-Star Saturday fan jam, Howard will go it alone Sunday night when the Eastern and Western Conference All-Stars square off.

Howard will be the center of attention again, as he was Friday when he charmed a throng of national and international media with his personality and quick wit.

"Without Shaq here, Dwight's in charge of comedy," Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James said.

Instead of facing off with O'Neal for the opening tip, it will be Howard and Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming, the only other candidate big enough, literally and otherwise, to possibly fill Shaq's shoes.

It's a big-man matchup that should be vibrant for years to come, what with Howard leading the Magic into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference in his fourth pro season and Yao doing the same for the Rockets in his sixth.

"Oh yeah, I think there will always be that between Yao and me," Howard said. "Like everyone says, big men are like dinosaurs, they're becoming extinct. Me and Yao and Andrew Bynum, Amare Stoudemire, Tim Duncan, there's not a lot of us. We're trying to ... let everyone know you still need a good center to win basketball games."

Praise from Kobe

Not everyone is convinced a line of succession is even possible for the indomitable O'Neal, who is actually in town lending his time and face for charity events and parties.

"Nobody, nobody can fill those shoes," said Nuggets All-Star Allen Iverson. "Nobody could fill those [size 23] shoes anyway. Nobody will ever be like Shaq, on or off the court. It don't get no better than that.

"Everybody wants to play with Shaq and everybody want to be around Shaq. He's the best there will ever be at that position. When you talk about Shaq, I think you could put his name with Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as one of the best that ever did it."

Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant said Howard already compares favorably to O'Neal in the strength department.

"He's the strongest guy I've ever played against — right there with Shaq," Bryant said. "Man, he's going to be something; he already is something."

Spurs All-Star Tim Duncan is already predicting a trip to the Hall of Fame for Howard, who is just four years removed from chasing state titles at SACA. "Absolutely," Duncan said.

A 'monster'

And why not?

The 6-foot-11, 270-pound Howard is averaging career highs in points (21.7) and rebounds (14.6), leading the league in the latter. He's also leading the league in free-throw attempts (634) and double-doubles (46) and ranks fourth in the blocks (2.4), another career-high.

"His power, explosiveness and grace are what stand out to me," said Hawks All-Star Joe Johnson. "We've got Josh Smith, who I think is the most freakish athlete in the league. And Dwight is one of the only guys I think that is in his category. And Dwight is three or four inches taller than Josh. And that makes him a totally different kind of monster on that block."

And don't dare poke Howard the way Magic coach Stan Van Gundy did last week when he publicly chastised his star for focusing too much on offense and neglecting his duties as a rebounder and defender.

Howard torched the Nuggets for 23 points and 24 rebounds in his next outing, a Magic win, a response better than any verbal comeback. It's one of many traits he picked up from O'Neal, whom he imitates with precision and on a whim.

Howard will push on, knowing that while Shaq's star is fading, his is on a steady rise to the top.

"It's an honor and a blessing to be starting," he said. "It's fun to be around those guys I grew up watching and read about, and now I'm playing with them. Hopefully, I can stay healthy and play to the best of my ability every night, and play as many All-Star games as I can."