Dwight Howard says playing with Kobe was difficult but shares some of the blame [video]

Now that the dust has settled in NBA free agency and Dwight Howard has officially been announced as the crown jewel of the Houston Rockets offseason. The center sat down with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to discuss his escape from L.A. in the interview, Dwight admits that it was difficult playing with Kobe but he also shouldered some of the responsibility.

My focus can not be on Kobe and what he did, and I have to look back and say, “I allowed that situation to happen…”

He also says that Phil Jackson he would’ve put the team in the right direction. But that Houston was a better situation for him and he believes he and James Harden could become a Shaq-Kobe like duo. IF, they keep the egos in check.
I said this at the top of last season, playing with Kobe definitely matured Dwight. I think that you will see some of those intangibles play out in his tenure with the Rockets. It will also be interesting to see him play with a player who is like Kobe in James Harden. Harden has spent time with the Black Mamba too. The two had the same agent for a time and toured the Philippians together a few years ago.

video via ESPN