In the summer of 2013, Dwight Howard became persona-non-grata in Los Angeles after he decided to leave the Lakers in free agency. After a challenging season that effectively ended when Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles, Howard opted to move on, and in the process, became a villain to Lakers fans.
That sentiment festered for years, with Howard receiving a chorus of boos every time he set foot in the Staples Center.
All of that changed this season.
After being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies, Howard had an opportunity to re-join the Lakers after an injury to DeMarcus Cousins left them needing another center.