Los Angeles Lakers: What’s fueling Dwight Howard’s comeback in LA?

Dwight Howard’s surprising comeback with the Los Angeles Lakers has more to do with his jersey number than you think

The Los Angeles Lakers are sitting atop the Western Conference with the best record in the NBA. While the health of LeBron James and the addition of Anthony Davis are significant factors, Dwight Howard’s L.A. comeback has been a driving force that no one could have anticipated.

Everything about Dwight Howard wearing a No. 39 Lakers’ jersey seems weird. It’s not just because only five other players in NBA history have worn that number. It’s because he appears to be in the best shape of his career.

The 33-year-old is injury-free, running the floor and finishing at the basket. He’s averaging 1.5 blocks per game, despite playing just 20 minutes a night. Howard has managed to resurrect his career in a scenario that he himself admits is weird.

Dwight Howard didn’t exactly leave the Lakers on good terms after playing one season with the squad in 2013. The center never meshed with Kobe Bryant, and Los Angeles was bounced from the first round of the playoffs. After the brief stint with the Lakers, it was presumed that Dwight Howard would resurrect his career in stops with the Rockets, Hawks, Hornets, and Wizards.

Last year’s nine-game season in D.C. looked like an untimely end to the career of a player that once dominated his position.

What caused the demise of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner? He quickly spiraled from being an eight-time All-Star to struggling to produce on the floor. Certainly, injuries played a part. He began his 2013 season with the Lakers just four months after back surgery. There was also the controversial buttocks injury last season that also required surgery.

But in the midst of those physical setbacks, something happened in the NBA that Dwight Howard had no control over. The game evolved. No longer are big men the dominant focal point of the offense. The run-and-gun offense went from being trendy to standard. Dwight Howard was used to getting his touches in the paint, whenever he wanted, for the first eight years of his career in Orlando.

That was never going to happen with Kobe in L.A., or with James Harden in Houston. It’s certainly not going to occur in a league where even old school teams like the Spurs are averaging 24 3-pointers a night.

While trying to adjust to the changes in the league, Howard was quite vocal about his frustration. Prior to making the Charlotte Hornets his third team in six years, he discussed the reason for his decline with ESPN:

"“What people don’t understand from the outside is that, ‘Oh, he isn’t getting shots so his game is declining,’ and that always goes back to opportunity and system. Players thrive with an opportunity and system.”"

Howard was certainly vocal about what a player needs from the organization in order to be successful. But it wasn’t until his return to the Lakers that he figured out what he needs to bring to the table. The ability to put his ego aside for the success of the team is the reason that Howard’s second stint in L.A. has been impactful.

It’s not easy for elite athletes to accept a lesser role. Very few players are able to do it successfully. Shaquille O’Neal often talks about how difficult it was to turn the reins over to Dwyane Wade in Miami.

Shaq was trying to figure out how to settle into the role as the second option. Imagine how much more difficult it must be for Dwight Howard to realize that he’s best served coming off the bench, taking less than four shots a game.

The struggles that Howard has faced throughout his career have made this comeback possible. He knows what it’s like to underperform and be blamed for his team’s lack of success. Howard has made a transition that many superstar athletes are unable to accomplish.

It may seem weird watching Dwight Howard succeed with the Lakers while wearing No. 39. But to him it all makes sense. When asked by a fan on Instagram about the jersey number, Howard responded: “Look up what 39 means.” According to Reader’s Digest, the No. 39 represents gratitude in Japan. After all, he’s been through in his career Dwight Howard is thankful for a new life in L.A., and it shows.