Dwight Howard Leaving Lakers: 'Had To Do What Was Best For Dwight' [VIDEO]

Dwight Howard has heard all the names people have labeled him with. He even insists it was now prepares him for his latest endeavor in Houston.

"Everybody's saying I was a 'coward' for leaving the Lakers, and I knew I was going to get that," Howard told the Orlando Sentinel was he was on Wednesday to face the Magic franchise he broke into the league with as the top-pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. "But I think with the situation I had to do what was best for Dwight."

Howard later reflected "I said, 'You know what? People are going to hate me for whatever reason, so I can't allow that to stop me from making my decision.' I thought that my decision took a lot of guts because everybody's saying, 'How could you leave the Lakers and six billion fans?' But I don't care about being an outcast or about being somebody that may look bad. All I've got to do is win now, and I'm in the right situation."

Howard spent much of the summer alluding to how he never felt comfortable in L.A. or coach Mike D'Antoni's uptempo system. Various media outlets later reported as part of his offer to management to remain in L.A. he requested that they fire D'Antoni and amnesty Kobe Bryant.

In the end, Howard took some $30 million less to sign with Houston and team with James Harden and Jeremy Lin than what he could have netted by staying in L.A.