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August 12, 2012

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Kobe joy at Lakers' deal for Howard

Kobe Bryant welcomed Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers by telephone from the London Olympics on Friday, overjoyed to have the superstar center as a new NBA teammate for the upcoming season.

"It's going to be sensational," Bryant said on Friday. "I talked to him this morning. He was happy to be out there. I told him LA is the perfect place for him. I'm excited for the Laker franchise because they have a great player who can carry that franchise long after I'm gone."

The move was a flashback to a similar deal done during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics that saw Orlando giant Shaquille O'Neal go to the Lakers, where he and Bryant combined to win three titles.

"Look at all the great centers that have come to LA. He's the next in that line," Bryant said of Howard. "It's a great organization for him."

Bryant has won two more NBA titles alongside Spanish big man Pau Gasol and hopes to add a sixth title to his career collection next season, one that would match NBA icon Michael Jordan's career total.

Howard was a member of the US gold medal team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 54 games last season, he averaged 20.6 points, a career-best 14.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots.

The Lakers completed a 12-player, four-team NBA deal and also sent US Olympian Andre Iguodala from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Denver Nuggets.






 

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