Dwight Howard: L.A. exit 'for myself'

Dwight Howard said Tuesday that Kobe Bryant's presence with the Los Angeles Lakers had nothing to do with his decision to leave the team and sign with the Houston Rockets last year.

"I didn't leave L.A. because I was afraid of Kobe Bryant," Howard said Tuesday, according to the Houston Chronicle. "I went to a good situation for myself. I can't change people's opinions, but I did what I had to do for myself."

The Lakers host the Rockets on Tuesday night at Staples Center in the regular-season opener for both teams.

Howard's comments came a day after new Lakers coach Byron Scott theorized that Howard and Bryant didn't mesh in Los Angeles since Howard didn't have Bryant's same drive to win championships.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11780755/dwight-howard-says-exit-los-angeles-lakers-houston-rockets-was-not-due-fear-kobe-bryant