Dwight Howard is getting some praise from a very unlikely source in the wake of his strong start to the season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In an appearance Monday on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Stan Van Gundy, who infamously coached Howard on the Orlando Magic, praised his former player.
“Dwight may not have quite the quickness and explosiveness he had when he was younger, but he still has great intelligence,” said Van Gundy. “One of the smartest players I’ve ever coached. Defensively, he’s really able to make adjustments on the fly. He’s a very good communicator defensively.
“He helps his teammates,” the ex-head coach continued. “He’ll certainly help them defensively and on the boards, and I think that’s all he is trying to do right now.”
Van Gundy coached Howard on the Magic for five seasons from 2007 to 2012. While they made the NBA Finals together in 2009, Howard was accused of demanding Van Gundy’s firing, which led to some truly awkward moments.
This year though, Howard is thriving off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, posting 6.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks a game on a league-high 79.2 percent shooting. He recently got praise from another person he notoriously feuded with, and it seems that Howard has really turned over a new leaf.
