LeBron James’ Former Teammate Asked Whether the Lakers’ Star Is on Steroids or Not

LeBron James’ former teammate weighs in on whether the Lakers star is on steroids or not. Find out!

By Natasha Bose

Published on Aug 21, 2024 | 04:26 PM IST | 52.1K

Is LeBron James on Steroids? Here’s What Former Teammate Had to Say

Former Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard recently put DeMarcus Cousins, another former NBA big man, on the spot during a conversation about Lakers superstar LeBron James.

Cousins had been praising LeBron James, who is 39, for his remarkable performance, describing it as “doing sh*t that’s unheard of.” Then, Howard playfully asked Cousins if he "thinks it’s steroids?" Cousins hesitated, responding, "ain’t gon’ get into that.”

Howard then lightened the moment by revealing that his question about steroids was just a joke. It was amusing to see Howard attempt to catch Cousins off guard while discussing the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Dwight Howard, who won a championship with LeBron James in Los Angeles during the 2019-20 season, then clarified that he was just joking about the steroids comment. It’s amusing to see Howard try to catch Cousins off guard while discussing the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Cousins, a four-time All-Star center who joined the Lakers for the 2019-20 season but was sidelined by a season-ending injury, continued to express his admiration for James, saying, “The motherf*cking averaging 25 [points per game] as a 40-year-old,” in reference to James' incredible performance in his 21st season.

During the 2023-24 season, James played 71 games for a Lakers team that finished with a 47-35 record. He averaged 25.7 points per game on impressive .540/.410/750 shooting splits, along with 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game, while playing 35.3 minutes a night. His performance earned him a spot on the 2024 All-NBA Third Team, marking his 20th All-Star appearance.

Dwight Howard, an eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team member, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, was also on that 2019-20 Lakers team in a reserve role, where he claimed his first and only NBA championship.

Quinn Cook, a reserve combo guard and former 2020 Laker, also joined the conversation. Now, Cook, Howard, and Cousins are teammates again on the Taiwan Mustangs

During his prime, Dwight Howard first joined the Lakers for the 2012-13 season, playing alongside Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash. That Lakers squad finished with a 45-37 record but was swept in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs, who went on to the 2013 NBA Finals, eventually losing to Finals MVP LeBron James when he was with the Miami Heat. Howard returned to the Lakers in 2019-20, winning a championship, and then again in 2021-22, a disappointing season where the team finished 33-49 and missed the playoffs, just two years after their title win.