The 2020 NBA season will long be remembered for its unprecedented playoff bubble in Florida, where the Los Angeles Lakers emerged as champions after a shortened, fanless campaign.
This unique title run continues to spark debate among fans and analysts, with some questioning its legitimacy and others defending it as a true test of mental toughness and focus.
Dwight Howard, a key contributor to that Lakers team, recently shared his perspective on the controversy, highlighting the challenges players faced and the pride they take in their accomplishment.
Dwight Howard Breaks Down the Controversy Surrounding the Bubble Title
Although every team in the 2020 playoffs competed under identical conditions in the NBA bubble, the Lakers’ championship is still questioned by some fans and commentators.
Steve Nash, discussing the topic on his “Mind the Game” podcast alongside LeBron James, addressed those who downplay the significance of the bubble title.
“You’re human beings competing, it doesn’t matter if you’re on the moon or in the bubble,” Nash said. On the same podcast, James described the experience as the “Purest form of hoops. Strictly basketball.”
Howard, who played a crucial role off the bench for the Lakers that season, echoed these sentiments in his interview with Ashley Nicole Moss of CBS Sports.
He emphasized the mental focus required to succeed in the bubble and the intense pressure players felt to win, even without fans in the stands.
“Everybody can talk about, ‘Oh, there were no fans, there’s no this or that,'” Howard said. “That’s what makes it harder. Why? For both teams, there are no fans in the stands, so now you can go out there and just focus on what’s going on in the game, which is winning. You’re going to get the highest quality from all the players.”
Dwight Howard on why people try to discredit the Lakers 2020 championship in the NBA Bubble:
“it’s because they didn’t win (…) because it’s the Lakers, because it’s a team with LeBron on it … it’s something that’s still be talked about.”@CBSSports https://t.co/LmdIWx3MFTo pic.twitter.com/D0GS4oDRvX
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) July 3, 2025
Howard also made his feelings clear about those who discredit the achievement.
“It doesn’t matter, my championship ring doesn’t say bubble championship on it, it says 2020 Lakers Champion,” he said.
When Moss asked why the championship has been so heavily debated, Howard pointed to a combination of factors, including the Lakers’ star power and the polarizing nature of the team.
“It’s because they didn’t win!” Howard explained. “Why would you discredit something if you did it? We won! If another team would have won, they’d say they won. But because it’s the Lakers, because it’s a team with LeBron on it, you got a lot of polarizing players in that same team, it’s something that’s still being talked about. But I got my ring.”
Howard’s comments reflect the broader perspective shared by many members of the 2020 Lakers roster.
They believe the bubble title was earned under uniquely challenging conditions, and that it deserves the same recognition as any other championship.
While debate continues, players like Howard remain confident that their accomplishment was just as legitimate, if not more difficult, than titles won in more traditional settings.
