Russell Westbrook has accomplished many things over his illustrious NBA career, but winning a Championship is not one of them.
Despite having the privilege of playing alongside some elite talent, in OKC, Houston, and Washington D.C., Russ’ track record of postseason success is very limited.
But now, with the Lakers, he has the chance to change all of that. At this very moment, with each passing day he spends with his new team, he is learning more about what it ultimately takes to be a Champion in this league.
“LeBron out of anybody else, he knows what it takes to win a championship,” Westbrook told ESPN. “My understanding of the commitment, understanding the sacrifices that we are both going to have to make, including myself and [Anthony Davis] as well for the betterment on the team, and finding ways to be able to win a championship. And that’s the ultimate goal. So anything along the way we, we cannot get distracted, cannot get the deterred from our ultimate goal.”
No matter who Westbrook has played with in the past, the opportunity to suit up with LeBron James is truly special, and Russ is not lost on that fact.
“When you get a chance to play against one of the greatest players of all time and consistently, it helps my game,” Westbrook said. “It helps my preparation, makes me focus more on the things I need to focus on to get to a point where I can sit down and say, ‘I’ve accomplished everything I can accomplish in this league and now I’m lucky enough to be able to play alongside him.’ So I’m looking forward to that, looking forward to the things we can accomplish here together this season.”
In the end, only time will tell what the future holds in store for the Lakers. Much work still needs to be done if they want to accomplish their goals.
Regardless, this season is special for more reasons than one, and Westbrook’s presence on the team could be what propels them through the challenges ahead.
