Dwight Howard has earned himself a somewhat questionable reputation over the last few years.

Since things turned sour between Howard and former Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, his desire to win, character, and value as a teammate have all been called into question.

After his relationship with Houston Rockets’ star player James Harden reportedly fell apart, Howard made the decision to sign with his hometown organization, the Atlanta Hawks. Fans of the Hawks will be hoping that Howard is willing to put in the work and sacrifice to maximise his unquestionable ability.

Howard’s new teammate in Kent Bazemore is impressed by his leadership qualities, as reported by Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.

“They brought in Dwight Howard, who is one of the most dominant centers of all-time and poised for a breakout year. He seems super hungry. I’ve chatted with him a few times and he seems like he’s ready to get after it. It’s a situation for him where, unlike in L.A. and unlike in Houston, this is going to be his team. We’ll work off of him. We understand that he’s been to the NBA Finals and played on some great teams. We’re looking for him to be a leader for us, and I think he can do it. Him coming back home and being comfortable here, I think that makes a world of a difference.”

Bazemore’s comments will turn some heads in the basketball community, as despite the loss of elite talents in Al Horford and Jeff Teague, the Hawks still possess a strong core that includes three-time All-Star Paul Millsap.

It will be very interesting to see how it plays out in Atlanta this year.