Lakers center Dwight Howard said before Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 that he got word the NBA legend was going to join him for the slam dunk contest to help him with a dunk on All-Star weekend.
Howard also told reporters it’s “heartbreaking” he couldn’t tell Bryant how important he was to him.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell him how appreciative I was for our time together, Howard said after the Lakers’ 129-102 blowout win over the Spurs on Tuesday night at Staples Center. “And (how) thankful, you know, I was to be back here.
“That was pretty hard for me. I took it pretty hard,” he added. “My heart is with the family and all the families that were affected and Lakers Nation.”
Howard. who scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the win, also said he appreciated the moments he had with Bryant this season.
“It was very meaningful,” he said. “Just seeing him. You know, I just never though he would be gone. And It still doesn’t even seem real.”
The death of Bryant who passed away at age 41 hit Howard especially hard because he was a contemporary of his.
“It’s really hard for myself to put into words how I felt about the situation,” said Howard, who had some a rocky relationship with Bryant when they played together in the 2012-13 season. “I never thought that I would see a teammate of mine in the past pass away at such a young age. It hit me hard. I was extremely hurting.
“All year long I just wanted to show him that I would do whatever it takes to help this team,” Howard said. “I wore his shoes since the season started. I wanted him in the dunk contest. You, know all these things. And just to see him go away, just like that.
Howard said Bryant’s death has taught the Lakers not to take life for granted.
“For all of us here we got to be appreciative for the time we have on this earth.,” he said. “We can take any moment, take any body or take any thing for granted.
“You know, it’s just a surreal situation.”
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