When Dwight Howard joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012, the expectations were sky-high. He would be teaming up with Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest ballers of all time. But sadly, the chemistry between the two never really clicked. Many, in fact, believed it was Bryant’s demanding nature that pushed him to leave for Houston after spending just a season in LA.
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Howard has always maintained that he left because he believed playing alongside James Harden gave him a better chance to win. But despite his hasty exit from the Lakers, his respect for Bryant runs deep. And it actually dates back to before they ever became teammates.
During a recent appearance on the PBD Podcast, Howard opened up about a conversation he had with Kobe after losing to the Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals, back when he was with the Orlando Magic. Rather than sulking, he picked up the phone and called Kobe, wanting to know what he could do to improve his game.
Kobe, being a true student of the game, knew exactly what Howard needed to work on. “I asked him what I need to do and he said, work on free throw line, jump shots, and mid-range,” Howard recalled. He took Kobe’s advice very seriously, adding 1,000 mid-range shots to his daily workouts. Learning the mechanics and the repetition of shots gave Howard the confidence he needed.
The advice in itself was a bit unusual. Howard, with his towering frame, was known for his dunks, rebounds, and defense. But Kobe knew what he was doing. The results showed almost immediately. In 2010, Howard had one of the best years of his career. He played all 82 games, averaged 18 points, with 13 rebounds per game. He finished second in MVP voting, only behind Bulls’ legend Derrick Rose.
He received 643 points, but that year belonged to Rose, who received a staggering 1182 points. Rose also had 113 first-place votes while Howard received only three votes for the top spot. Regardless, he led Orlando to a strong regular season (59-23), continued to anchor the defense, and added a new layer to his offensive game, all built on Kobe’s advice.
Howard said that during his time playing with Kobe, he had hoped the Black Mamba would take him under his wing. “I wanted to learn so much from him, but I think I was expecting him to be like, ‘Hey, come over here. I’m gonna show you this,” he recalled. While Kobe was always willing to offer advice to anyone who reached out, he was never the type to initiate those conversations.
In hindsight, Howard realized his approach was flawed. He should’ve taken the initiative to seek Kobe’s guidance and learn from him directly. Had he done that, the trajectory of his career with the Lakers might have looked very different.
