Dwight Howard is a Los Angeles Laker and while pundits, mainsteam media, and Laker fans want to parade 2012-2013 NBA Championship statements already, Los Angeles still isn’t the best team in the league, however that doesn’t mean they aren’t a contender.
The Los Angeles Lakers are very much a contender, but I’m often presented with this question: Will Dwight Howard’s clowning matter to the Lakers?
The question does have some substance as Dwight Howard is known to be one of the biggest clowns in the league, and will he keep up these antics when he straps on the Lakers uniform and plays for one of the greatest teams in NBA history?
First, lets start with a quote from Adrian Wojnarowski:
When the time comes rest assured Bryant will make something clear: The carnival act ends now. The clowning and goofing are done. During games, players used to hear Kevin Garnett screaming at Howard: “Paint your face, clown!” up and down the floor.
When you think of killer instinct, that undeniable “I’ll do anything to win” mentality, there’s always one name that stands out ahead of everyone else’s and this is, of course, Kobe Bryant.
The biggest comedian in the NBA? Dwight Howard of course, but one can gamble on one thing and that is Kobe Bryant won’t tolerate Dwight’s antics. I would bet that Kobe Bryant has already made that crystal clear to Howard; once it’s time to perform at one of the biggest markets in professional sports, there is no room for clowning on a continual basis.
Kobe Bryant will assure Dwight Howard that he will not put up, nor will the Lakers, with Dwight’s foolishness.
Another notable item is that Kobe has experience with other “clowns” as in Metta World Peace. MWP is one hell of a joker off the court, if he doesn’t have a ball in hand in a Lakers jersey, World Peace is a complete clown incapable of being serious. If Kobe can put up with him, he’s sure as hell can deal with Dwight Howard.
If Metta World Peace is tolerable to Kobe Bryant, then I would imagine Dwight Howard will be able to reel in.
At the end of the day, it’s less about Howard’s antics and more about his production, interaction, and health with the Los Angeles Lakers.
