Dwight Howard admitted he initially had no plans to play for the Los Angeles Lakers ever again.
The big man of the Lakers joined the team in 2012, but left a year later, following a disastrous season.
Even though Los Angeles had championship aspirations, the season ended with a first-round playoff exit and Howard thought it would be unlikely to return to the team.
“When I left LA the first time, I said I can’t see myself going back to that team. I was so mad and upset about how things went and how I was perceived, that I was like, ‘I’m done with LA. I can’t. I don’t want to play for the Lakers.
I don’t want to hear the Lakers. I don’t want to hear about nothing dealing with LA.’ And then I had to really understand the power of forgiveness and that’s something every human being struggles with is forgiving. Whether you are in the wrong or someone else is in the wrong — forgiving,” Howard told Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Yet, Howard returned to the team and now has a chance to earn the title in his first appearance in the NBA Finals since 2009.
