Few NBA players ever get the chance to redeem themselves with teams with which they have had falling outs in the past. While it may not be common, this was precisely what happened to Dwight Howard when he returned to the Los Angeles Lakers for his second stint with the team during the 2019-20 season.
While he was no longer the dominant player that he once was during his run with the Orlando Magic , Howard was a key cog for the Purple and Gold's title run that season. He embraced a bench role and flourished, averaging 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
After finding his role with the Lakers, Howard had another goal in mind: repairing his relationship with Lakers icon Kobe Bryant , whom he famously clashed with during his ill-fated stint in 2012-13. And as he prepared to compete in the 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, he believed the best way to do that was to ask the Black Mamba to help him on the court.
Despite already being 34, Howard believed he still had the hops to compete with the young high-flyers in the Association. At the same time, he knew he had to do something special to topple dunk maestros like Derrick Jones Jr. and Aaron Gordon . So, he turned to the man known for his own incredible dunking abilities – the Black Mamba.
"I'm trying to get Kobe," Howard boldly declared . "So if I can get all the Laker fans to lobby to get Kobe to help me in the dunk contest, that'd be really good. That'd be awesome."
Howard won the contest in 2008, when he put on a Superman costume, rose and threw down a thunderous one-handed slam that proved to be the most memorable jam of that event. However, it had been over a decade since he participated in the competition, and by then, players like Zach LaVine , Jones and Gordon had seized the spotlight with their gravity-defying dunks.
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Unlike most stars today who balk at joining the dunk contest, Howard revealed that he actually called the league office to see how receptive they were to his return.
"I reached out myself and told them I wanted to be in it, so it was like, 'Oh, really?' I was like, 'Yeah,'" Howard disclosed. "So here it is. I think I'm the oldest dunker in the dunk contest ever."
Howard was determined to make a comeback and show that he still had what it takes to compete at the highest level. He spent weeks practicing and perfecting his dunks and even followed a strict diet and training regimen to be in peak physical condition for the contest.
"I just felt like I'm in the best shape I've been in my whole career. So why not go out there and give it, give it 135 percent, and see what happens?" he added.
However, the ace he had up his sleeve was Kobe, whom he had hoped to join him on the floor and assist him for a dunk or two.
"Have I asked him? Not yet," Dwight said. "Just got to get the fans behind me first. Setting the table. Need you guys. 'Hey, Kobe, can you get in the dunk contest with Dwight?' That'd be great."
Unfortunately for Dwight and NBA fans, that idea never came to light as Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and seven others tragically passed away in a helicopter crash just weeks before the All-Star weekend.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
