Dwight Howard claims he was kicked off the Lakers for calling LeBron James the always-classic ‘B-Word’

Dwight Howard is back with another legendary tale, and this one involves calling Lebron James a bitch during a game and ultimately, getting kicked off the Los Angeles Lakers because of it.

On his podcast Above The Rim with DH 12, Dwight had Mario Chalmers—LeBron’s old pal from Miami—on as a guest. Chalmers, who famously clashed with LeBron back in the day, shared a story about calling him a “bitch” and the fallout that came with it.

That’s when Dwight chimed in with this gem…

Dwight Howard claims he was kicked off the Lakers for calling LeBron James a bitch

Gotta be honest, I 100% believe that Dwight Howard called Lebron James a bitch. The guy is a Looney Tune on and off the court and I personally witnessed him get ejected and pick up technical after technical during his brief stint in Philadelphia.

If you gave me a list of NBA players most likely to casually call LeBron a bitch in the middle of a game, Dwight would be in the top three easily.

Here’s where things go off the rails, as they typically do when Dwight Howard is involved. After calling LeBron a little bitch boy, Dwight Howard was then kicked off the Lakers on King James’ orders.

I find that pretty hard to believe. Not that LeBron wouldn’t do something like that, but more because Dwight Howard just wasn’t that good at basketball anymore.

The Story According to Dwight Howard

According to Dwight, this happened during the 2019-20 season—the same year the Lakers won the bubble championship. It was a defensive possession, LeBron wasn’t hustling, Dwight called him out, LeBron got mad, and Dwight let it fly:

“Yo, stop acting like a b—h, man.”

Valid statement but then, in Dwight’s version of events, that was it. He was shown the door.

Look, Dwight is a walking NBA folk tale, but this one doesn’t add up. He wasn’t let go because of a single insult—he was let go because he was an aging big man with declining numbers and enough off-court weirdness to make any front office hesitant.

By the time the Lakers let him walk in 2020, his role was already shrinking and Los Angeles had no reason to keep him around. Off the court, Dwight Howard’s name was popping up in more bizarre headlines than highlight reels on the court.

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Not to mention, if LeBron was so upset about it, why did the Lakers bring Dwight back in 2021?

If LeBron held that grudge, there’s no way Dwight would’ve been suiting up in purple and gold again. Guys like LeBron (bitches) are too petty, right?

LeBron James Hates the Word Because… Well, You Know Why

Now, one thing in Dwight’s story does track: LeBron hates being called a bitch.

• Draymond Green called him that in the 2016 Finals, and suddenly Draymond is suspended for Game 5, swinging the entire series.
• Mario Chalmers said it in Miami
• Even Isaiah Stewart just looked at him funny

LeBron hates that word because he is one. He’s been the face of NBA theatrics for years. He flops like he’s auditioning for an Oscar, throws tantrums when he doesn’t get calls, and gets deeply, deeply in his feelings whenever someone challenges his authority.

So yeah, I fully believe he lost his mind when Dwight said it. But again, did that alone get Dwight kicked off the Lakers? Not a chance.

Howard telling this story is classic Dwight—he’s always had a flair for making himself the misunderstood hero in some grand NBA saga. But the reality is, the Lakers moved on because he was declining, not because he told LeBron to man up.

That being said, Dwight’s version of events is way funnier.

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