Russell Westbrook has been scapegoated and mistreated by the media and Los Angeles Lakers fans alike throughout the whole season. He’s played below expectations and that’s a fact but he’s not the only reason why the team has fared so poorly.
Even so, it’s clear that Westbrook’s presence in the locker room has created trouble. Some want him to come off the bench and that’s created tension between him and coach Frank Vogel.
Moreover, the season and all the boos have taken a toll on his game and his aggressiveness, which is why Lakers legend James Worthy urged him to go back to basics and stop feeling sorry for himself.
NBA News: James Worthy Says Russell Westbrook Needs To Stop Feeling Sorry For Himself
(Transcript via Fadeaway World)
“He knows he’s vital to this team and he knows that his performance is not what he’d like it to be,” Worthy said on Spectrum SportsNet. “I personally don’t like to see Russ with zero turnovers. I like to see him with at least 3 or 4 maybe. That means he’s aggressive, he has an aggressive style of play and when he’s in that mode, he’s productive.
“When he’s thinking a lot and passing up shots, I know he’s not knocking down shots and I think it’s because he’s hesitating. He’s thinking about it too much.
“I like players who take accountability. Russ knows he can play, he just needs to play like Russ can play and stop thinking about the distractions sometimes the fans don’t give him the just he deserves. He’s got to let all that go and just go out and be aggressive, get to the hole, take the shot when it’s available without hesitation.
“I think he can get back into a style of play that we want from him. He’s got to stop feeling sorry for himself and just go out and get rebounds, play defense and I think Russ can get back to being the productive player that we need.”
Magic Johnson Says The Westbrook Trade Could Be The Worst In Franchise History
Magic Johnson didn’t mince his words when talking about Westbrook’s situation, either. Per the Hall of Famer, this might as well go down as the most infamous move the franchise has ever made:
“This [Westbrook] trade could go down as the worst trade in Lakers history if we don’t get out of the play-in game,” the Lakers legend sentenced.
Once again, it’s not fair to point the finger at just one player for such a terrible season. But judging by the looks, it seems like this will be a one-and-done scenario for the Russell Westbrook experiment.