Dwight Howard recently offered an unfiltered look into his complicated relationship with Kobe Bryant during their lone season together with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Appearing on the PBD Podcast with Patrick Bet-David, Howard recalled moments of silence and tension with the Lakers legend, beginning with how their dynamic never clicked from the start.
“Our locker rooms were next to each other,” Howard said. “In the All-Star Game… he didn’t speak. It’s like he didn’t want to be next to me at that time.”
Howard emphasized the confusion he felt, especially as a younger player seeking guidance.
“I’m thinking like, ‘Why would my teammate not talk to me? Like, what did I do that was so bad? Like, can we talk it out?’ But some people use different strategies. And maybe that was his.”
During the interview, Howard suggested Bryant might have employed a “bad cop” approach to leadership, especially in a season where the Lakers dealt with several injuries.
“Nash was out. It was a pretty nasty season,” he said. “So I think [Kobe] went into like, ‘Oh, f*** it. I’m going to go out here and try to score and do what I got to do because I’m not going to let my team down.’”
Howard admitted he felt unwanted and misunderstood during that period.
“I think that—the time where I left, I’m like, ‘Man, you know, Kobe really don’t want me here,’” he said. “I should go somewhere where I’m wanted. That’s how I felt at the time.”
The eight-time All-Star also spoke about the influence Bryant had on his development, recalling a phone call after the 2009 Finals.
“I remember calling him and asking him, like, ‘What do I need to work on to get better?’ And we had a good conversation,” Howard said. “He said, ‘Work on free-throw line jump shots and mid-range.’ So I started shooting and making a thousand shots a day.”
That offseason dedication paid off.
“The next year, I was second MVP voter behind Derrick Rose,” Howard noted.
Yet during their stint as teammates, Howard expected more mentorship than what Bryant offered.
“I think I was expecting him to be like, ‘Hey, come over here. I’m going to show you this.’ And it should have been—it could have been me being like, ‘Hey, let me go to him.’”
Howard also addressed the now-famous confrontation with Bryant during a Lakers-Rockets game after he left Los Angeles.
“We’re kicking their ass,” Howard recalled. “He’s like, ‘Why is he doing this?’ And I’m like, ‘All right, I’ma elbow you. Get off me.’”
He admitted the contact was intentional.
“It wasn’t accidental. It was intentional… he comes back, so I throw another one just to get him off.”
Reflecting on the fallout and public perception, Howard added: “I feel like he was saying that because mentally he felt like I allowed all the BS to get in my head.”
Despite the turmoil, Howard didn’t deny Bryant’s greatness or impact.
“I wanted to learn so much from him,” Howard said. “But maybe I didn’t know how to approach it the right way.”
