Russell Westbrook was at the center of media attention in recent memory after Stephen A. Smith criticized him for not having a championship. Russell Westbrook responded to Smith by saying that he is already a champion because he grew up in the streets. Since then, many people have weighed in on that debate.
One of the people who has recently talked about Russell Westbrook’s response to Smith was Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas. Thomas won two championships with the Detroit Pistons. His words suggested that everyone wants to see Russell Westbrook win a championship. Thomas also claimed that it’s not all Russell Westbrook’s fault.
So the numbers we see him putting up every night, while they are impressive and historical, we ask can you get to the next level in terms of being a champion in this arena… It is a very difficult task.
Now, what some superstars have done, is they demanded more from their coaches, from their general managers, from their teams, to make sure they have the right support system. If Russell Westbrook is guilty of anything, it’s not being demanding of his coaching staff of the organization he’s playing for to say “Hey, I want more.” As an MVP caliber talent, you should be demanding MVP talented coaching.
Russell Westbrook isn’t fully to blame for his lack of a championship. Some players can still be great, despite being ring-less. Sometimes situations just don’t work out. Russell Westbrook is a future Hall of Famer: that much is indisputable. There have been seasons where Westbrook has underperformed in the playoffs: that is also a fact. However, that doesn’t change the fact that his numbers are elite. Hopefully, Russell Westbrook can win a championship eventually, and silence the haters. He is absolutely a great player regardless of a ring or no ring.
