As soon as the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook, talking heads, analysts, and even fans weren’t so sure about the idea. Some thought they’d figure things out, while others were concerned about his fit with Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Having two ball-dominant players and three non-shooters in the NBA‘s pace-and-space era didn’t seem like a good idea. So, it’s safe to say that no one was actually shocked to see that experiment fail under two different coaches.
Westbrook was the second-best player on the team, mostly because of Davis’ injuries and inconsistency. Even so, he was often the target and scapegoat for the fans, up to the point where he even got death threats and insults toward him and his family on social media.
The Lakers eventually moved on from him, and the narrative around the NBA was that he was a toxic teammate and a ‘vampire’ in the locker room. It took a while before Paul George got the Los Angeles Clippers to give him another chance to prove that wasn’t the case.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook Talks About Being Happier With The Clippers
Westbrook has admitted that playing for the Clippers has given him the joy of playing back. When asked about why he’s happier there than with the Lakers, he mostly talked about being embraced and actually appreciated:
“Long list. But we don’t got enough time for that today,” Westbrook said. “I’m very grateful for an opportunity and a team that wanted me during a tough time. Just for myself and basketball-wise, being able to come to a spot where I was embraced. I told myself I would give like I always have and I would be the best I could possibly be. This game is supposed to be fun; that’s who I am; that’s the energy I bring. That joy to me is what makes me who I am.”
The Clippers didn’t hesitate to bring him back in the offseason, and he was happy to take a significant pay cut to make the numbers work. Also, he’s taken a step back to let Paul George and Kawhi Leonard do most of the scoring, and he seems okay with that.
He Says The Narratives Were Made Up
Westbrook has usually been a bit of a villain in the eyes of the fans, but not a single one of his former teamamtes have ever said anything bad about him. Enes Freedom and Bradley Beal called him the best teammate they ever had, and the fact that George and James Harden wanted to be reunited with him also dismisses that narrative:
Russell Westbrook
“Nobody knows, it’s just a made-up narrative that people make easy to run with,” Westbrook said. “There’s never been a teammate, coach, staff — never one thing bad. It’s just what’s made up. But it’s all going to play out. You know why? What makes people upset is how I don’t give a f— because I know who I am; I know what kind of person I am. So I know when people say something, I don’t waver,
because I already know. I know what I do behind the scenes that people don’t see. And I like it that way.”
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At the end of the day, things work out for the best for Westbrook. He’s back home in California and playing for a team, some teammates, a coach, and a fan base that truly appreciates him and his efforts. Hopefully, this will be the final stop in his Hall of Famer career.
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