Even before he made it to the NBA, Russell Westbrook was already drawing contrasting takes. Some said he was a tweener shooting guard, some said he couldnāt shoot at all, some thought heād be a legend. Now, heās Los Angeles Lakersā fans favorite guy to hate.
Westbrook has vastly regressed since the start of the season. Heās shown all of the negative traits of his game but none of the explosive, stat-sheet-stuffing magic he brought with him during his early days.
Thatās why ESPNās Stephen A. Smith took some time to take a big shot at him, calling him out for constantly falling short of an NBA championship despite having a plethora of elite teammates by his side.
Stephen A. Smith Calls Out Russell Westbrook In A Huge Rant
(Transcript via Fadeaway World)
āIf youāre Russell Westbrook, these are your teammates: Kevin Durant, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Victor Oladipo, Paul George, James Harden again, Bradley Beal, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. And you donāt have one single title to show for it.
If youāre Russell Westbrook and you got two or three big-time players in basketball, you are formidable. You are in the picture. Somewhere at some point in time, youāre supposed to come over the hump. We are now at a point in time where Russell Westbrook, the only reason we would say he aināt getting traded is ācause of his salary, that the Lakers would GIVE him away. He aināt even an All-Star this year.
Weāre gonna get to a point where weāre saying āall these guys you played with and not one championship to show for it.ā People are gonna look at him, and heās gotta accept that.ā
Westbrook is one of the most talented and physically gifted players of all time. Heās got a big, nearly certain case to make the Hall of Fame. But his stubbornness and reluctance to adapt and change his game will forever be a huge stain on his career.
