Kyrie Irving has been the biggest story in the NBA over the past couple of days thanks to his efforts to bring players together in an attempt to stop the NBA from continuing the season. In addition to being against the bubble city idea, Kyrie and his colleagues believe there are much bigger things to worry about right now. With all of the protests going on, Irving would much rather focus on social change and he believes basketball distracts from that.
Last night, Dwight Howard sent a statement to CNN in solidarity with Kyrie. As he explains, he very much supports Irving's position and would rather the league not continue the season. Howard even went so far as to say that unifying his people is much more important than winning a championship. Regardless of your thoughts on this stance, there is no denying that this is an admirable take
Per Howard:
“I agree with Kyrie (Irving). Basketball, or entertainment period, isn’t needed at this moment, and will only be a distraction. Sure it might not distract us the players, but we have resources at hand majority of our community don’t have. And the smallest distraction for them, can start a trickle down effect that may never stop. Especially with the way the climate is now. I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship. But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship, that’s just too beautiful to pass up. What better time than now for us to be focusing on our families?
This is a rare opportunity that, I believe, we as a community should be taking full advantage of. When have we ever had this amount of time to sit and be with our families? This is where our Unity starts. At home! With Family!! European Colonization stripped us of our rich history, and we have yet to sit down and figure us out. The less distractions, the more we can put into action into rediscovering ourselves. Nations come out of families. Black/African American is not a Nation or Nationality. It’s time Our Families became their own Nations. No Basketball till we get things resolved.”
Over the next few weeks, it will be interesting to see how this all progresses. The NBA seems to be keen on continuing the season no matter what although if too many players boycott, a return will be impossible.
Dwight Howard Dilvulges On Recent Passing Of His Son’s Mother
Dwight Howard has been dealing with a personal tragedy throughout the pandemic.
These past couple of months have been an incredibly difficult time for people as they have been forced to quarantine due to the Coronavirus. Various people have lost loved ones while others have been laid off due to the financial difficulties that come with displacing people. Athletes have been going through a particularly hard time as they have been forced to give up their livelihood for an indefinite amount of time.
Things have been especially hard for Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard, who recently admitted he is going through a personal tragedy. As he explains, the mother of his six-year-old son passed away six weeks ago. Her death is not related to COVID-19 but the effects of the pandemic have made dealing with the tragedy that much more difficult.
Howard noted that he was able to attend the funeral and the entire proceedings have given him new perspectives on life and how to deal with challenges. The Lakers star has had a lot going on in his personal life over the last year and this is another example of Howard displaying his resiliency.
Hopefully, Howard and his son are safe and sound during these trying times.
Dwight Howard Speaks On Failed First Lakers Stint With Kobe Bryant
Dwight Howard had his fair share of struggles with the Los Angeles Lakers when he played there the first time.
Dwight Howard's first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers was certainly one to forget as his arrival to L.A. was tainted by chemistry issues and injuries to numerous notable players on the roster. Not to mention, Howard didn't have the best chemistry with Kobe Bryant, who later called Howard "soft" as a member of the Houston Rockets. Now, Howard is back on the Lakers and is having a career resurgence as he is used as a role player who can make big plays for you down the stretch.
Recently, Howard hopped on Instagram live with Lakers teammate Jared Dudley, where he spoke about his first sting with the Lakers and why it didn't work out. As reporter Melissa Rohlin transcribed, Howard said that egos and his desire to be "the man" got in the way.
"I know that I approached that season wanting to be the best version of myself and also the man. You know, I'm young, I just felt like that at the time," Howard said. "It was really hard for me and Kobe to really communicate. I think we were just at two different stages."
Howard also admitted that he cried in the bathroom of the Lakers' team plane when he found out that Kobe had passed away. Despite their differences, Kobe had a massive impact on Howard's life, and he was deeply saddened by Bryant's death.
Howard and the Lakers are playing this season in Kobe's honor and hopefully, they are able to finish out the season sooner rather than later.
Shaq Disses Dwight Howard Yet Again During "Start, Bench, Cut"
Shaq and Dwight Howard have had a topsy-turvy relationship over the years.
Back in the late 2000s, Dwight Howard was seen as the man who would dethrone Shaq as the NBA's best center. Of course, Shaq was on the decline while Howard was carrying the Orlando Magic. Shaq never gave his seal of approval to Howard and instead, they were embroiled in a pretty nasty feud. These days, Shaq has a lot nicer things to say about Dwight but he still hits him with some slander every now and then.
Recently, Shaq joined Ro Parrish on NBA TV where they played a game of "start, bench, cut." Shaq was given three options, including LeBron James, Yao Ming, and Dwight. As one would imagine, Shaq chose to start LeBron but he ended up making the controversial choice to cut Howard and put Yao Ming on the bench.
Howard has accomplished a lot more in his career than Yao Ming has so for Shaq to pick the Rockets star over Howard, is insulting, to say the least. Regardless, it's not a surprising slight when you think about all of the bad blood they had over the years. If Shaq is ever presented with an opportunity to make fun of Dwight, he's going to take it and make no mistake.
When presented with these three players, let us know who you would start, bench, or cut.
Lakers’ Rumored Plans For Dwight Howard & DeMarcus Cousins Revealed
Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins joined the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019 offseason.
Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins were seen as promising additions to the Los Angeles Lakers this past summer. Unfortunately, only one of these players has worked out so far. Of course, that player is Dwight Howard who is having an incredible career resurgence. Meanwhile, Cousins has been out with an ACL injury that he sustained while playing at a gym with rec-league players. While the league may be on pause, teams are already thinking about their plans for next year and both of these players could have very different fates with the Lakers.
During an episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst spoke about the Lakers and how their plans with these players may take a turn. As he explains, Howard is likely to return although they will probably end up parting ways with Cousins.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
“I don’t think DeMarcus Cousins is looking at a make good contract, even if it’s more than a minimum,” Windhorst said. “I think that after a series of injuries he’s had, all of which indicates that he’s coming back too fast, doing too much, he needs even more time of coming back from this. He’s gonna have a job in the league, but I don’t think it’s gonna be a big money.”
Regardless of what the Lakers do, they will certainly have a powerful team next season, especially if they get Anthony Davis back. Stay tuned for more basketball news as we will be sure to bring you the latest information.
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Dwight Howard & Danny Green Reveal Their Lakers All-Time Starting 5
Dwight Howard and Danny Green gave their thoughts on some of the best Lakers players of all-time.
Numerous incredible players have laced up for the Los Angeles Lakers over the years. They have some pretty incredible names hanging from the rafters and have at least three players you could put on the NBA Mount Rushmore. It’s a franchise that will continue to boast legendary for years to come. A couple of the team’s current players, Dwight Howard and Danny Green, recently spoke to Taylor Rooks for her Bleacher Report show, Take It There.
During the episode, Howard and Green were asked to speak about some of the Lakers legends and which guys would end up on their all-time Lakers starting five. Howard’s picks were all pretty obvious although Green certainly came in with some independent thought.
“I’ll take a different route,” Green said. “I’m gonna go with Magic at one, Kobe at two, LeBron at three, A.D. (Anthony Davis) at four, and a lot of people aren’t going to like this, but I’m going to go with Big Game James (James Worthy) at five.”
“At point guard, Magic Johnson,” Howard explained. “Two guard, Kobe Bryant. Three, I gotta go LeBron (James). Four, Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal). Five is Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar).
Both of these starting fives would dominate in any era so you can’t be mad at Green for his alternative way of thinking. With these answers in mind, let us know what players you would pick for your all-time Lakers starting five.
Dwight Howard Speaks Out On Jeanie Buss’ Mike D’Antoni Diss
Dwight Howard's first stint in Los Angeles didn't exactly end on good terms.
Dwight Howard is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and he's been having himself a nice season. After years of falling off, Howard is back to playing at a high level, even if he's more of a role player than anything else. Howard's play is in stark contrast with how things went down with the Los Angeles Lakers almost ten years ago. Howard played well under his potential while in Los Angeles and eventually left the team in free agency back in 2013.
During a recent conference, Lakers part-owner Jeanie Buss spoke about Howard's resurgence with the Lakers and even took some shots at Mike D'Antoni, saying the Houston Rockets head coach didn't know how to utilize Howard properly. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Howard replied to these remarks but opted to steer clear of any controversy.
Howard explained how he actually loves D'Antoni and that the system just simply didn't work the way he intended it to. Howard knows he could have played better and has nothing but respect for his former coach. He even said that he didn't want to speak ill of anyone although he thanks Buss for defending his honor.
Howard has matured quite a bit since 2013 which is something that truly came out in these comments. It's nice to see Howard thriving in Los Angeles, late in his career.
Jeanie Buss Disses Mike D’Antoni Over Dwight Howard Fiasco
Jeanie Buss had some harsh words for the former coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dwight Howard joined the Los Angeles Lakers early last decade and people thought it would turn the squad into a super team that could rival the likes of the Miami Heat. Instead, the Howard experiment turned out to be a bit of a disaster and he left the team after just a short time. Now, Howard is back on the Lakers and is seeing a bit of a resurgence. He's been a huge contributor on a Lakers team that is first in the Western Conference and is expected to make a huge push for a championship.
During a recent conference, Lakers part-owner Jeanie Buss spoke about Howard's first stint in Los Angeles and was quite adamant that it was a coaching issue that kept him from reaching his full potential. For those who forgot, Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni was leading the team at the time.
“We hired a coach that didn’t respect his game and wasn’t going to put him in a position to succeed," Buss said. Clearly, she wasn't happy with D'Antonio's tenure although we can't blame her. The D'Antonio Lakers aren't looked upon fondly by Lakers fans and supporters would probably rather forget that era.
Regardless, you can't help but feel happy for Howard as he excels with the Lakers in his second stint in LA.
Kobe & Gianna Bryant Memorial: All The Attendees
A who’s who in Hollywood showed out to say goodbye to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna as they were immortalized at the STAPLES Center.
Today’s date contains the jersey numbers of Gianna Bryant (2) and Kobe Bryant (24) so it was only right to hold a public memorial for them on this day. Taking place at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, a building that Kobe Bryant made famous, the legend and his daughter were remembered by the world. If you weren’t able to snatch a ticket to the event, it was live-streamed for free on TIDAL. A who’s who of people in Kobe’s life, as well as men and women who idolized him from afar, took their seats in the arena before Vanessa Bryant, Michael Jordan, Jimmy Kimmel, and others addressed the crowd.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Jimmy Kimmel speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
In the audience, famous faces could be spotted everywhere. A bunch of Kobe’s former teammates, including Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, Lamar Odom, Metta World Peace, and others were seen in the audience. His former coaches and agents, including Rob Pelinka, Byron Scott, and Phil Jackson were also there. Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé took the stage to sing, while A-listers Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Jay-Z, and more watched on.
The touching ceremony was bittersweet to watch. It included speeches from MJ, a heartbreaking eulogy from Vanessa Bryant to her daughter Gigi, and more.
Mamba out, but never forgotten.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Vanessa Bryant speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Michael Jordan speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Snoop Dogg attends The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Alicia Keys performs during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Jay-Z departs after The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Shaquille O’Neal speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez depart after The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Christina Aguilera performs during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
Anthony Davis Recalls How He Found Out About Kobe Bryant’s Passing
Kobe Bryant’s passing was a shock to the entire NBA community.
Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others passed away in a helicopter accident on January 26th of this year. It was shocking news at the time and even a month later, it still doesn’t feel real. Today, the Staples Center will be holding a public memorial for Kobe and Gianna. This memorial will host thousands of Lakers fans who are hoping to pay their respects for one final time.
For Lakers players, Kobe’s death was not just a shock but also heartbreaking news that has completely changed the course of their season. In a feature with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Anthony Davis spoke about the moment the Lakers team flight found out about the tragic accident.
So I remove one of my headphones, and I look,” Davis said. “And Dwight tells me, ‘Man, Kobe died.’ And me thinking as invincible as Kobe Bryant is, I’m like, ‘Kobe who?’ Because I’m like, that’s not — it’s not Kobe Bryant. And he was like, ‘Kobe.’ And I was like, ‘OK. Kobe who? I’m not sure who you’re talking about.’ And he was like, ‘Kobe Bryant.’ And at this time, Bron is still asleep. So I was like, ‘Wait, what? How? Like, I need details, like, tell me.’ And he was like, ‘Man, helicopter crash.’”
Harry How/Getty Images
Eventually, Lakers players began to wake up and news spread to everyone, including LeBron James. At first, LeBron couldn’t believe what he was being told. His reaction was like many others on the team who were holding out hope that the reports could have been a mistake.
“I remember the first thing Bron said to me was, ‘Man, y’all stop playin’ — like, stop playing with me,’” Davis recalled. “And I’m trying to get on the internet. And Dwight, like, you can see him start crying. He was like, ‘It’s true.’”
Kobe Bryant is perhaps the greatest Lakers player of all-time and his impact still lives on. The Lakers will be looking to win the championship for him and as it stands, they have the whole city of Los Angeles behind them.
