Basketball fans remember the highlights. They remember the rings, the jerseys hanging in the rafters, and the inevitable "Mamba Mentality" documentaries. But if you want to understand the exact moment a young Superman learned he wasn't invincible, you have to look back at November 12, 2004.
That was the night of the Kobe dunk on Dwight Howard.
It wasn't just a highlight. It was a "welcome to the league" moment that Dwight still talks about two decades later. Kobe Bryant didn't just score two points; he essentially redefined Howard's entire career trajectory with one aggressive leap at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando.
The Setup: November 12, 2004
The Lakers were entering a weird era. Shaq was gone. Kobe was the undisputed alpha, but the roster around him was a mix of veteran "grit" and guys who probably shouldn't have been starting on a championship contender. Dwight Howard? He was the #1 overall pick, a physical specimen who looked like he’d been carved out of granite. He was 18. He was confident.
Honestly, he had no idea what was coming.
Late in the third quarter, the Lakers were down. Kobe comes off a screen—some say it was Lamar Odom, others remember the pick-and-roll action involving Pat Garrity—and he sees a gap. Dwight is sitting in the paint, playing the "weak side" help defense he'd been taught. He’s 6'10" (or 6'9" depending on which official measurement you believe), and he thinks Kobe is going to pull up for a jumper.
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He thought wrong.
The "Baptism"
Kobe didn't pull up. He accelerated. He rose. Dwight, caught between trying to take a charge and actually contesting the shot, ended up doing neither effectively. He kind of just stood there as Kobe Bryant elevated into the stratosphere.
Kobe’s right arm went back, and he hammered a one-handed slam so hard that the sound echoed through the arena. Howard famously says he "closed his eyes" because he didn't realize Kobe was going to try it. He didn't hear the crowd at first. He just heard the boom.
"I baptized him," Kobe said after the game. It’s one of the coldest quotes in NBA history. He wasn't just talking about a dunk; he was talking about an initiation.
Why the Kobe Dunk on Dwight Howard Still Matters
You see posters every night in the modern NBA. Why is this one different?
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For starters, look at the aftermath. Most rookies would try to forget it. Dwight? He couldn't. His friends made him a birthday cake with a picture of the dunk on it. Fans would ask for his autograph while wearing shirts featuring him getting posterized. It followed him everywhere.
- The Psychological Shift: Kobe later claimed this dunk turned Dwight into a defensive-minded player. He wanted to make sure it never happened again.
- The Respect Factor: Despite the "beef" that would develop years later when they became teammates, this moment established a hierarchy.
- The Pure Athletics: Kobe was 26 here. He was at his physical peak, playing with a level of aggression that borders on mean.
Misconceptions About the Game
Most people think the Lakers blew the Magic out because of that dunk. Actually, the Lakers lost that game 122-113. Kobe dropped 41 points, but the Magic, led by Steve Francis and Grant Hill, walked away with the win. Dwight Howard had a "quiet" 12 points, mostly because he spent the rest of the game trying to figure out how a human being could jump over him like that.
Lakers veteran Brian Grant reportedly walked up to Dwight right after the play and whispered, "Welcome to the league, young fella." Talk about a cold reception.
The Long-Term Fallout
The relationship between these two is complicated. You’ve got the 2009 NBA Finals where Kobe’s Lakers beat Dwight’s Magic. Then you have the disastrous 2012-13 season where they were teammates and absolutely hated each other’s guts. Kobe thought Dwight was too "soft" and laughed too much; Dwight thought Kobe was a joyless tyrant.
But by 2019, things changed. When Dwight returned to the Lakers for his second stint, Kobe actually vouched for him. They were supposed to collaborate on a dunk for the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest. Kobe was going to bring out the Superman cape for Dwight.
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Then, January 2020 happened.
The dunk contest tribute Dwight eventually performed—wearing the #24 under his Superman logo—was a full-circle moment for a kid who got "baptized" in 2004.
How to Watch the Tape Like a Pro
If you go back and watch the footage now, don't just look at the dunk. Look at Kobe's face. He doesn't celebrate. He doesn't flex. He just runs back on defense with that "Black Mamba" scowl.
Watch for these specific details:
- The Screen: Notice how Kobe uses the pick to force Dwight into a decision.
- The Elevation: Kobe’s knees are almost at Dwight’s shoulder level.
- The Landing: Kobe lands and immediately looks for the next play.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific era of basketball history, here is how you can actually verify the impact of this moment:
- Check the "All The Smoke" Podcast: Listen to Dwight Howard’s interview with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. He breaks down the psychology of being on the receiving end of a Kobe Bryant poster.
- Analyze the 2004-05 Season Stats: Look at how Dwight’s blocks increased after November. He became a rim-protecting maniac, possibly as a direct response to being embarrassed early on.
- Compare the Footage: Contrast this dunk with Kobe’s dunk on Ben Wallace or his dunk on the entire Brooklyn Nets team later in his career. It shows the evolution from "Frobe" athleticism to "Vino" craftiness.
This wasn't just a play. It was a lesson in NBA physics delivered by a master. Dwight Howard might have been Superman, but that night, Kobe Bryant was the kryptonite.
Next Steps:
Go find the 4K AI-upscaled version of this highlight on YouTube. Pay attention to the bench reaction from the Lakers. Even his teammates were stunned by the sheer disrespect of the play. Once you see the aerial angle, you’ll realize why Dwight closed his eyes.