As one of the most frequently criticized players in the NBA, Russell Westbrook has a line of haters that stretches far and wide. Whether for his reckless habits on the court or his history of poor decision-making with the basketball, it seems that many in the NBA community see Westbrook as more of a liability than an asset these days.
But no matter your opinion of Russ, you cannot deny the dude has some serious talent. As a 9x All-Star, 2x Scoring Champ, 9x All-NBA player, and a former MVP, his accolades and personal milestones are a testament to that fact. Russ himself knows this and has never been shy about stepping up to a challenge.
So, during his playing days with Kevin Durant, it’s a wonder why the two were never able to win the title, given the talent they both had. After eight years of failing to close on a title, KD left town just when the team was looking its best.
Well, as it turns out, Bryant may have something to do with the fall of OKC and that superstar duo. Back in 2012, he apparently spent all summer trying to sow the seeds of dissent in OKC. He started by appealing to Westbrook’s ego…
"In 2012, what I remember with Kobe was he spent a lot of the Olympics with Westbrook telling Russ, 'You know, you should be winning scoring titles. I don’t know why you’re letting Kevin win scoring titles. You should be the one winning them.”
Kobe to Russ in 2012
(via Woj Pod) pic.twitter.com/3BzPPfEhEn
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 8, 2020
Westbrook seemed to receive Bryant’s words, as Westbrook would go on to win two more titles and drastically increase his point per game output over the next several (healthy) years.
Eventually, KD split from Russ and there appears to be the slightest hint of animosity between them. Whatever happened, there is clearly still some bitter feelings on both ends.
It’s certainly not all Kobe’s fault, but the Mamba definitely played some kind of role in it. He’s just too good at getting in people’s heads and it may have created a problem for the Thunder.
For Kobe, of course, it was just a tactic to try and weaken a huge competitor in the West and it’s fair to say he was successful.
