Former Lakers Star Center Reveals Why He Had Tension with Kobe Bryant

Here we go again...

Multi-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2020 champion Dwight Howard talked about both of his stints with the Lakers in a recent interview. 

According to a tweet from ClutchPoints, Howard was quoted on the differences between playing with respective Lakers stars in the late Kobe Bryant for his first tenure in Los Angeles and current Lakers forward Lebron James. 

"[LeBron's] joking, silly, have a good time… Kobe ain't bullsh*tting with nobody. He might not come to the locker room to talk."

Dwight Howard on the difference between being on a team with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

(via @MATHHOFFA)pic.twitter.com/5WECBK4Cxh

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 2, 2023

It's an interesting comparison as Kobe Bryant's tension with the big man was more than well documented even after Howard departed LA the first time for a new journey in Houston with the Rockets. 

After pairing Howard with Bryant, veteran point guard Steve Nash, All-Star power forward Pau Gasol and defensive stalwart Metta World Peace, the Lakers looked to be the next superteam in the league much like the Heatles and Boston's Big 3 before them. 

Instead, the 2012-13 season proved disastrous for the purple and gold as injuries prevented any chemistry or cohesion within the roster and taxed those healthy enough to play. 

The prime victim of such a big load on his shoulders was Kobe himself and his Achilles eventually gave out from the heavy minutes he was playing just to keep the Lakers in games. 

To hear Howard's issues with Kobe's intense personality shouldn't be any surprise to Laker fans and neither should Howard's preference about Lebron's more loose personality. 

After bouncing around the league, the Lakers took a flier on the former no. 1 overall pick from 2004 and Howard paid the investment off by being a solid defender and rim runner for the team in valuable minutes off the bench. 

Even with the league going on pause due to the COVID-19 shutdown, the Lakers returned to the bubble and won their 17th championship in franchise history. Howard ended the series with a deep three in garbage time as the finishing touches in the clinching Game 6 against the Heat. 

Hardware always makes players remember certain situations better and it's possible that's the case here with the former All-NBA big man. 

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