Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant a big believer in what Dwight Howard can do for Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant recently talked about Dwight Howard and believes the center will be a crucial asset to the team this year.

Throughout the early portion of the Los Angeles Lakers season, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have naturally captured a lot of the headlines given their stardom. The latter has been impressive so far for the team, averaging 28.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in his first six games as a Laker.

While that is true, another Lakers’ big man has not gone unnoticed thus far. Granted he is not a star like James and Davis, he is not totally oblivious to the level of responsibility that comes with carrying a team.

The player in question is none other than Dwight Howard. Yes, as strange as that sounds at first blush, Howard has been rather effective for Los Angeles.

Although his current stats do not align with his career averages, the center has made the most of his opportunities. He is playing the game of basketball with a discernible amount of passion running through his veins. It has been refreshing to see.

Sure, he may not grab all the attention given that he is not among the Lakers’ starting five. Said fact aside, Howard deserves some credit for the efforts he has put in.

Howard seems to be playing with a heightened level of enthusiasm. Moreover, what is crucial to note is that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year seems to be only focused on basketball. Nothing else.

When the totality of his career is examined, the above-mentioned has not been true. There have been numerous occasions when distractions have inclined Howard to become aloof.

As a result of his behavior, teams grew less and less patient with the 6-foot-11 big man as his career progressed. It sheds light on why the former perennial All-Star remained unsigned for the vast majority of the summer.

It not to deny Howard’s talent. Albeit he is not the star he once was, every team knows what he brings to the table defensively. Howard has always been adept when it comes to gobbling up rebounds and protecting the rim.

However, the man has not always been the best teammate. He has been generally known for his ego, which has come back to haunt him in a sense.

Even supposing his questionable reputation, the Lakers took a gamble on Howard in the wake of the injury DeMarcus Cousins sustained over the offseason. It was a move some folks (myself included) did not fully understand.

A lot of those same folks could not let go of the 2012-2013 campaign, which was Howard’s first stint with the ball club. It is a season that did not go as expected for the 16-time champions, who were heavy favorites to increase their title count to 17.

More from Lake Show Life

• Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
• Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
• Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
• Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
• Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated

Surely enough, the eight-time All-Star received a large share of the blame for the team’s performance that season. There was even greater scrutiny placed upon his shoulders when he darted from Los Angeles that offseason.

Lakers’ legend Kobe Bryant was also a member of that 2012-2013 squad. Despite the fact that he would have preferred for the team to have greater success, Bryant seems more focused on the present.

He believes that grouchy fans should not dwell on the past but be encouraged by the way his ex-teammate is performing for this Lakers team. Bryant recently chatted with Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times and shared his opinion on Howard’s evolution.

Per transcription from Anthony Irwin of SB Nation, Kobe firmly believes his former teammate has developed a fresh appreciation for basketball.

"“I’m happy for him because sometimes we don’t realize how much we love the game and miss the game until that window starts closing or its closed,” Bryant said. “Then you’re like, ‘Oh damn, I really miss playing the game. I want another opportunity to show what I can do.’ 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.”"

Certainly, the bulky center has made quite an “impact” on the Lakers up to this juncture. He has done everything that has been asked of him and he has not shown any glaring attitude issues.

Albeit he is coming off the pine, he has given the team a boost of energy every time he steps onto the hardwood. On a similar note, Irwin noted that the guy fans used to boo at is now being cheered for.

In particular, he revealed an example from Tuesday night’s contest against Memphis. When Howard entered the game for the first time that evening, the Staples Center faithful gave Dwight a roaring ovation. Once a bitter enemy, the center has basically become their darling due to the impact Bryant alluded to.

The season is quite young. As of when this was written, the Lakers are a mere half dozen games into their quest for another world championship. While that is true, Howard has played a major role in the Lakers’ defensive schemes so far, which has led to five W’s.

Per what Bryant exhibited, “that window start[ed] closing” for sure. In some respects, one could make the argument that the 33-year-old is lucky to be on a team given his bumpy history.

However, in the back of his own mind, Superman had to have realized the same. He knew the clocking was ticking on his career. Thus, when L.A. gave him an opportunity, something had to have hit him like a boulder because he has demonstrated a perceptible sense of urgency through the first few games.

The big fella has definitely grown up a notch and it has paid dividends. Assuming he keeps it up, Dwight should continue to get minutes for the Lakers. There is no doubt about that. Who knows—maybe it will even lead to a starting gig.

A bigger question is whether the center will be able to sustain this mindset throughout a full season. Howard has been in the spotlight for a lot of his career, so it will be key for him to accept this smaller role and not let it metamorphose into a larger scale point of contention.