Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum: The Unlikely Meeting of Two Former Lakers Centers in New York

The streets of New York sometimes hold wonderful surprises. Dwight Howard, in the middle of a conversation with a young fan in the Big Apple, experienced a moment as unexpected as it was hilarious when he came face to face with Andrew Bynum, another former center for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The scene, captured on video and shared on social media, starts off amusingly: the young fan had initially mistaken Howard for Bam Adebayo, the center for the Miami Heat. Howard, being a good sport, assured him the mistake was completely understandable. A few moments later, it was his turn to be caught off guard.

Dwight Howard randomly runs into Andrew Bynum in NYC

Video clipped via: https://t.co/f6nt9Fivk4

The video is originally taken from Dwight Howard’s Instagram account. pic.twitter.com/1bt2qba0Zv

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 17, 2026

An Unexpected Meeting Between Two Forever-Linked Careers

Spotting a large figure on the sidewalk, Howard first thought of Patrick Ewing, before realizing it was Bynum. « Is that him? That is Andrew Bynum. Oh s–t! », he exclaimed in the video. The two men embraced warmly, before Bynum, a New Jersey native, went on his way with a smile.

Despite their inseparable ties to the California franchise, Howard and Bynum never shared the same locker room. It was precisely Bynum’s departure that opened the door for Howard’s arrival in Los Angeles. In the summer of 2012, the Lakers traded Bynum as part of a four-team deal to acquire Howard, with the ambition of forming a powerful duo alongside Kobe Bryant.

Bynum was leaving the franchise in top form: in his final season with the Lakers, he averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, enough to earn an All-Star Game selection. Sent to the Philadelphia 76ers, he never played a single game in that jersey due to knee injuries. He played one final season in the NBA in 2013-2014 before retiring for good.

For his part, Howard delivered in Los Angeles, averaging 18.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game during the 2012-2013 season. But his relationship with Bryant proved difficult, and the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Spurs. Howard then headed to Houston for three seasons.

He would ultimately return to Los Angeles twice, in 2019-2020 and in 2021-2022. During his first return, he contributed to the Lakers’ 17th NBA championship alongside LeBron James. A full-circle moment for a player who accumulated eight All-Star selections, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and one championship over 18 seasons in the league, from 2004 to 2022. Bynum, for his part, leaves with two rings and one All-Star appearance across nine seasons.