Mike D'Antoni Addresses Rumors Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard 'Hated Each Other' During Lakers Tenure

Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni shared the origin of the infamous 2013 photo that played off the supposed feud between stars Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.

Bryant posted a photo in which he and Howard were squaring off while D'Antoni laid between them on a training table.

"There were rumors that they had really gotten into it and they hated each other, and this was not going to work," the coach said to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I was on the training table rehabbing my knee and Kobe was there, and Dwight and I go, "Can you believe this?" I don't know how, but we just started talking and all of a sudden [the photo was shot]."

D'Antoni added that Bryant may have had the initial idea for the snapshot and that "it was more of a joke."

"It was more or less just us responding with, 'It's not as bad as people say it is,'" the Hall of Famer said.

Years ago, Howard also downplayed any friction he and Bryant had during their one season together.

Still, the Lakers' performance in 2012-13 did little to diminish the idea their biggest stars weren't on the same page. Los Angeles finished seventh in the Western Conference and got swept in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.

Howard subsequently signed with the Houston Rockets as a free agent.

Bryant's Twitter photo remains perhaps the most memorable memento from that disappointing season.