Gary Payton Thinks Dwight Howard “Is Disliked By A Lot Of Players”

After reports surfaced of Kevin Durant talking junk to Dwight Howard while witnessing the gross 69-65 Rockets win over the Thunder on Sunday, the Fox Sports 1 crew asked Gary Payton for his thoughts on the Rockets big man. The Glove did not hold back.

First a refresher:

Durant called Dwight Howard a “pu**y” while watching the game…

Then the two met face-to-face after the game for God knows what sort of comments — probably more of the same from Durantula and some middle school rebuttal from Howard:

Now here’s what Payton said, or you can scroll down to watch him say it in his estimable Oakland patois:

[sics not included]

“I think he’s disliked by a lot of players now. They’re starting to dislike him a lot because what Dwight does, you know, you see all the smiles and all the antics — that is getting on people’s nerves, that’s getting on player’s nerves. And then he does things: he’s always at people, at people. To get this guy right here, Kevin Durant, to do what he did, you know it’s starting to become a problem with basketball players because Kevin Durant doesn’t really talk to anybody.”

[brief interlude to discuss the one time KD called out Chris Bosh, and then back to Glove]

“But [Dwight] goes at people that are fake with stuff. Only fake guys. Fake guys to me are when they’re always woofing woofing and don’t really do nothing. It’s a woof player. If you see them on the streets, they ain’t gonna do nothing, I’m gonna tell you right like that. These guys are fake tough. The fake bully bully bully stuff. And then you gotta have two or three security [guards] with you.”

When GP was asked whether he would talk trash to Howard, he’s pretty sure of his answer.

“Yes I would,” Payton said. “Howard wouldn’t come to nowhere where I was in the streets, neither. He don’t wanna do that. I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”

Does Payton concur with Kevin Durant’s assessment of Howard?

“I agree with him man.”

There you have it. Gary Payton agrees with KD that Dwight Howard is a — well you know the rest.

Let’s get back to basketball now.

(via Fox Sports Live)

Do NBA players really not like Dwight Howard?

Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.

Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.

×