Former NBA star Dwight Howard has opened up about his reluctance to join the Los Angeles Lakers during a recent appearance on The Gauds Show. Howard, who played for the Lakers three times and won a championship in 2020, shared that he originally had no desire to wear the Purple and Gold jersey.
“I didn’t want to go to the Lakers. They had just beat us in the Finals,” Howard said as reported by HoopsHype, referring to the Orlando Magic’s loss to the Lakers in 2009. He expressed frustration over being traded to the team that defeated his squad, saying, “I want to beat Kobe’s ass.”
Howard revealed that he initially pushed for a trade to the Brooklyn Nets instead. “I said, ‘Send me to Brooklyn. I want to go to the Brooklyn Nets.’ They had a new facility. I talked to the owner and everything,” he explained. Howard emphasized that he wanted to carve his own legacy, avoiding comparisons to Shaquille O’Neal, who had a similar career trajectory from Orlando to Los Angeles.
Despite his opposition, Howard ultimately landed in Los Angeles in 2012. At the time, he was recovering from significant back surgery, which doctors initially believed could end his career. “The doctor told me if he had moved even a centimeter left or right, I would have been paralyzed,” Howard shared. He recalled being told, “You’re done,” following the procedure.
Against the odds, Howard returned to the court, playing another 10 years and winning a championship with the Lakers in 2020. Reflecting on his first stint in Los Angeles, Howard detailed the severity of his injury. “The doctor took out a huge piece of my back—it was the largest herniated disc they had ever removed from an athlete.” He returned to play just four months after surgery, a timeline few believed possible.
Howard also spoke candidly about his struggles during that period, highlighting the pressure placed on injured players. “I was literally doing everything they asked me to do. Even when they asked me to play while I was hurt, I still did it,” he said.
Despite the initial resistance to joining the Lakers, Howard’s time with the team ultimately became a defining chapter in his career. While his first stint was marred by challenges, his return in 2019 helped secure a championship alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the NBA bubble.
