NBA Rumors: Kobe Bryant Praises Howard, But Will Dwight Last The Full Route?

Dwight Howard showed what he can do when healthy. He has been performing well off the bench and seems to have fit in perfectly. The 6-foot-11 big man has earned praises and one of them includes Kobe Bryant. The retired Lakers star believes the eight-time All-Star can impact Los Angeles campaign if he stays the course.

For the Black Mamba, it is all about realizing how much a player loves the game. Some players get to the point where they get lost. Bryant did not actually pinpoint Howard as being one of those players, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. However, he added that opportunities should not be wasted since one never knows if they will come again.

"Sometimes you don’t know if that opportunity will ever come again. For him, I really believe he’s appreciative of the opportunity and I think he’s going to make a hell of an impact because of the new appreciation he has for playing the game,” said Bryant.

Bryant and Howard did not exactly hit it off back during the 2012-13 NBA season. Most know how the three-time Defensive Player of the Year chose to move on and join the Houston Rockets. Both had their moments of barking at one another. Apparently, all that is a thing of the past and the Black Mamba has obviously gotten past it.

But of course, a couple of games does not define what Howard truly brings to the Lakers. It is still early this 2019-20 NBA season with plenty of games to come. One lingering question is how durable the 33-year-old will be for the purple and gold. Howard has had lower back issues and this could return moving forward.

That may depend on the amount of playing time he gets. Coming off the bench, the Lakers are likely to control his minutes on the court. Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee are there to play center, hopefully, something that would allow him to last the current NBA season.

For Howard, his rediscovered form is a good sign for the Lakers. For now, he is simply thankful for the second chance. Aside from that, he is focused on only one goal - to win a championship.

“Whether it’s in the weight room, the training room, everything is championship, so hopefully, we’ll just continue this statement of who we are and just continue to believe. I believe we can make something really, really special. Every moment counts, so that’s how I try to approach it,” said Howard in an interview with Lakers Nation.