Dwight Howard recently stirred the pot by sharing a story about how an off-hand comment to LeBron James landed him in hot water during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Speaking candidly on his podcast, Howard revealed that he once called LeBron a “b***h” during an argument over defensive effort, a remark that he believes led to his eventual exit from the team.
“I said that man, and I got kicked off the Lakers… That’s the year after we won the championship, man. It happened on defense, and I was like, ‘Yo, you gotta get back’. And he got mad because I said something and I was like, ‘Yo, stop acting like a b**ch, man, goddamn… All we doing is talking.”
Howard emphasized that his intentions weren’t to disrespect or question LeBron’s character, but rather to push the team leader toward a stronger defensive effort. Nonetheless, Howard felt that his comment directly contributed to the Lakers deciding to move on without him. Yet, underlying the laughter was an acknowledgment that challenging James publicly, even with good intentions, comes with significant risks.
The story gains further intrigue when placed alongside a similar event involving former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers, who famously got into a heated exchange with LeBron during their playing days together. Chalmers once called James a similar derogatory term, frustrated by LeBron’s defensive lapses against Paul George.
Interestingly, Howard is not the only one who has had this type of experience with LeBron. Several players have claimed that calling LeBron a “b***h” is his trigger word, something that instantly gets under his skin.
Throughout his career, there have been multiple incidents where James has gotten visibly upset after being called the term. One of the most notable moments was in 2016 when Draymond Green called LeBron a “b***h” during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, leading to a heated confrontation.
Green was ultimately suspended for Game 5, which played a crucial role in the Cavaliers coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win the championship.
More recently, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka also found himself in a heated exchange with LeBron after calling him the same word. During a game in 2023, Udoka, who was coaching the Rockets at the time, got into a verbal back-and-forth with James.
When Udoka referred to him as a “b***h,” LeBron immediately snapped back, and the two had to be separated. The incident resulted in Udoka being ejected from the game, proving once again that this particular word has a special way of setting James off.
Howard’s anecdote serves as a stark reminder for current and future NBA players about navigating relationships with superstar teammates. Challenging leadership is necessary, yet there remains a line that, when crossed, can carry significant career consequences.
Howard crossed that line and paid a professional price, ultimately reinforcing LeBron James’s powerful presence and unquestioned leadership in today’s NBA landscape.
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