The debate over the greatest basketball player of all time often centers on two legendary figures: LeBron James and Michael Jordan. However, there are other players who deserve consideration in the GOAT conversation, and one name that frequently comes up is the late Kobe Bryant. Former NBA star Dwight Howard recently added fuel to the debate by claiming that the “Black Mamba” was better than Jordan.
In 2012, Bryant and Howard teamed up for the first time on the Los Angeles Lakers, joining forces as two of the league’s top players. The pairing came with high expectations, but the duo fell short of delivering on the court. “It was tough playing with Kobe,” Howard admitted. “Everyone expected us to be the next Kobe and Shaq, but I didn’t even want to go to the Lakers.”
During an appearance on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast, hosted by former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, Howard doubled down on his belief that Bryant was superior to Jordan. “I think Kobe [Bryant is] better than [Michael Jordan] skill-wise. He took everything Jordan did and multiplied it. He did it better,” Howard stated.
Arenas quickly pushed back, arguing that Kobe wasn’t on Jordan’s level during his prime years between 1983 and 1993. But Howard contended that the version of Jordan Bryant was able to emulate and improve upon was the one who played during his second stint with the Lakers from 1995 to 1998, suggesting that Jordan’s early career wasn’t as dominant.
Dwight Howard #12 of the Los Angeles Lakers is congratulated by teammate Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Boston Celtics. Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Dwight Howard blames Rob Pelinka for breaking up 2020 Lakers team
Dwight Howard took a shot at Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka, blaming him for dismantling the 2020 championship–winning team led by LeBron James. Speaking on his podcast, “Above The Rim with DH12,” Howard expressed his frustration, suggesting that if the team had stayed together, they could have won another title.
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“After we won, they started tweaking the roster,” Howard said. “I’mma tell you who it was – Rob Pelinka, man. God, Rob, why did you do that to us, man? Rob, come on, man.”
Howard continued, “I still love you, Rob, but dang, man. We had the squad, bro. Even if we ran it back, we could have run it back. We would have been healthier for the next year.” His comments reflect the sentiments of many Lakers fans who believe the team’s potential for a repeat was derailed by unnecessary changes to the roster.
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