James Harden is better than Kobe Bryant in one key aspect, says former NBA champion with the Lakers

Kobe Bryant was a dominant figure in the NBA for more than 20 years. His impact on the league was so profound that he is often included in the GOAT conversation alongside legends like Michael Jordan and LeBron James. However, a former NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, believes that James Harden surpasses Bryant in one specific aspect of basketball.

In a recent interview on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast with Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard reflected on his time playing with Harden on the Houston Rockets. “I thought me and James was gonna work because I felt he was younger Kobe with better passing as far as pick-and-roll,” he explained.

Given Howard’s background, he had ample experience to make that comparison. After a successful stint with the Orlando Magic from 2004 to 2012, Dwight joined the Lakers for the 2012-2013 season to play alongside Kobe Bryant. However, after just one season, he chose to leave. “At the time, me and Kobe going at it, ‘I don’t think this is gonna work out. I might as well go somewhere else with a younger team, team more my age,’” he said.

In 2013, Dwight signed with the Rockets, where he was paired with Harden, who had been one of the league’s most exciting young stars since joining Houston the previous year. Howard quickly recognized Harden’s unique abilities and the skills that made him a special player. “(Harden) can score, throw great lobs, pocket passer, that’s perfect for me,” he recalled thinking at the time.

“I did like playing with James the first couple of years,” Howard continued. However, their relationship took a turn. “Then after that, I was like, ‘Damn, this (expletive) don’t pass me the ball,” he said, explaining that this frustration contributed to his departure in 2016 to join the Atlanta Hawks.

Dwight Howard #12 and James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets on December 21, 2015 in Houston, Texas.

Dwight Howard’s relationship with Kobe Bryant

Reflecting on his first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard made it clear that his relationship with Kobe Bryant was far from ideal. To illustrate the tension, he recounted a story from the 2013 All-Star Weekend in Texas. “Man, we flew together. We were on the same plane, and we didn’t even talk,” Howard said.

“I’m like, ‘Yo, my guy, it’s just me and you. We can’t even speak to each other?’ I’m like, ‘Nah, this ain’t right.’ It felt like a movie. It ain’t right. I’m saying, Kobe—this ain’t right. What’s going on? For real, like—he knew we were teammates,” he added.

According to Howard, the tension continued when the two arrived at the locker room. “Then when we got to the lockers, me and him were supposed to be next to each other because they put all the teammates together. But he’s over here, and I’m like, ‘Yo, this is crazy.’ I didn’t know what was going on,” he said.

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Former Lakers star Dwight Howard reveals his pick for the greatest player in NBA history

Howard’s return to Los Angeles post-Kobe

Dwight Howard would eventually leave the Lakers and play for several NBA teams. However, after Kobe Bryant’s retirement in 2016, Howard returned to Los Angeles for two more stints. His most significant return came in the 2019-2020 season when he won his only NBA title with the Lakers, a team led by LeBron James. Howard had another brief stint with the team in 2021-2022 before announcing his retirement in 2023, marking the end of his illustrious NBA career.