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LOS ANGELES – Before joining the Lakers for one of the most surprising meetings in NBA history, Dwight Howard said his life away from the court would have been chaotic this summer.
"It has nothing to do with basketball," said Howard during a teleconference with reporters. "It was just things to go [on] in my personal life. Mentally, physically and spiritually. It had nothing to do with me as a basketball player or anything like that. It was just personal things that I had to compose that made me stronger. "
The Lakers are banking on Howard, 33, to beef up their home defense and fill the void left when DeMarcus Cousins crashed with a left ACL ripped apart during low season training.
Howard has already played in a season in Latin America – the disastrous 2012-13 campaign of infighting, injury and death of long-time Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss – before denying the franchise the chance to sign with the Rockets of Houston as a free agent.
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He said the chance to come back – he tweeted to the fans in April 2013, after the elimination of the Lakers playoffs – "I hope to have the chance to catch up with you" – is "a very great blessing "and a" great experience "
"I've never had bad will towards the fans here in Los Angeles," Howard said. "I love this city from the first moment I'm here and I started playing in the NBA. It was never anything against anyone here [on] the team or something like that, it was just a decision that I took. I love this city. I love playing in L.A. I'm back here, so none of this in the past matters to me anymore. I think we all have a fresh start. "
"It's been six years, in 2020, it's going to be seven years (…) I'm a great model, seven is for a new start … I'm looking forward to having a fresh start with fans and fans. things like that Show them that my only commitment is to put another banner here in Los Angeles. "
Of course, it was the same song he had sung when he left for Houston many years ago, telling ESPN he was "betting $ 30 million" – the amount he had left on the table thanks to the offer of the Lakers against he accepted the offer of the Rockets – that he would win a championship in the city of Bayou.
He made the bet (the Rockets scored 13-16 in three seasons with Howard) before bouncing back into the league, playing unique seasons for the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards. It had been purchased by the Memphis Grizzlies before playing a match, which facilitated the return to the Lakers with an unsecured contract, as previously announced Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Howard said that he was attacking his personal conflict this summer by focusing on reading and meditation exercises.
"This summer has been very important to me as an individual," he said. "I've been lucky enough to really isolate myself, not people, but really, really try to isolate yourself and become one with myself and become more balanced." This summer was really very important for me."
But he also made sure to immerse himself in the conversation with his new teammates – he checked his name Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee – to tell them how much he really wants to help the band.
"Everyone here wants to win, and I want to win too," said Howard. "It was not about selling myself, it was just about letting them know everything about me and what we are trying to accomplish."
On several occasions during the call, Howard, who will be number 39 in L.A., was reluctant to make any statement that would raise eyebrows. "I've always said a lot of words, but I'd rather just show you guys," he said at one point.
He kept the same tact when he was told about old Lakers. Shaquille O 'Neal and Kobe Bryant the supervisor on Twitter last week, while they were crushing their last beef.
"Shaq and Kobe are some of the best players to have ever played at this basketball game.I have only the love and respect for these two guys, and I think what they have could accomplish in their life after basketball was amazing, "he said. "My job is to come here and help this team win, it's not a fight or a fight with Shaq, Kobe, or anyone. do not expect anything that can distract me from helping this team win a championship. "
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