Dwight Howard reveals the biggest difference between LeBron and Kobe

Dwight Howard has the privilege of playing with two of the greatest players in NBA history, although with different results. His first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers wasn’t exactly a good one, but he came back later in his career and got the job done.

The former All-Star big man crashed heads with Kobe Bryant, leaving as a free agent after just one season. Then, he bounced around the league after leaving the Houston Rockets, and had to come back to salvage his career in L.A.

That time, he shared the floor with LeBron James, and while he wasn’t a star anymore, he still played a big role in a championship win. With that in mind, he took some time to compare both stars.

Dwight Howard Compares Kobe And LeBron

“They have this presence, and when Kobe walks into the room or LeBron walks into the room, their presence is there and you can feel it,” Howard said on The OGs Podcast. “Kobe was more so like a silent killer. He didn’t really talk too much. LeBron loves to have fun, he wants to make jokes, but when he gets on the court you know he can turn that switch, it’s crazy to watch.”

Dwight Howard

Howard later pointed out their demeanor and how they took different approaches when they were on the court, with LeBron being more of a strategist, and Kobe being a stronger presence:

“The mental aspect of it, LeBron is doing all the plays he’s like the coach, and Kobe’s like give me the ball and I’m going to handle it, and I think those are the two differences,” Howard continued.

Howard Didn’t Want To Play For The Lakers

Ironically, Howard never even wanted to take his talents to Southern California. Apparently, he told the Orlando Magic that he didn’t want to be traded there to begin with:

“At the time, I had actually told the Magic the one place I didn’t want to go was the Lakers,” Howard admitted. “It was no offense to the Lakers fans or anything like that but we had just lost in the finals to the Lakers and I’m like man, I want to beat Kobe. I want to beat the Lakers, not go join the Lakers.”

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That’s just how things work out in this business at times. And while he didn’t find much success in his first stint, he was able to redeem himself and walk away with the championship he always deserved.