NBA legend Oscar Robertson is tired of the disrespect toward Russell Westbrook. Speaking in a chat with Clippers beat writer Joey Linn, Robertson explained how the treatment toward Westbrook has gone over the line.
“For some strange reason, I don’t know why they want to keep blaming everything that happens on him,” said Robertson. “When he plays he is dynamic, he gives the team a spark. Then all of a sudden they don’t care for him, they don’t want him.”
Oscar Robertson was the original “triple-double king” before Westbrook came along and broke his record. The NBA Hall of Famer played for 14 years in the NBA and was a 12x All-Star, 1x MVP, and 1x NBA champion. Since he retired in 1974, Oscar has been a major supporter of the NBA and he’s been one of Russell’s biggest fans.
Westbrook, who was drafted 4th overall in 2008, is widely regarded as one of the top point guards of this generation. The 9x All-Star is the only player besides Robertson to average a triple-double for a season and he’s the only one to do it in at least four separate seasons.
Over 16 years in the NBA, Westbrook is averaging 21.7 points, 8.1 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game on 43.8% shooting. After stints with the Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, and Lakers, Russ finally landed with the Clippers in 2023 and it’s where he’s expected to close his NBA career.
Despite his accolades and his status as one of the NBA’s greats, Westbrook is under constant scrutiny from the community. The fans and media are always criticizing his game or his character and his reputation has yet to recover from his falling out with the Lakers.
It was with the Purple and Gold, alongside LeBron James, that Westbrook hit rock bottom. When his decline became evident, Russell became the scapegoat for the entire franchise and he refused to accept a lesser role. What followed was a situation that turned toxic both on the court and in the locker room.
As Westbrook resisted the realities of his decline, the Lakers grew more desperate to win games and by the end of it, he was described as a “vampire” in the locker room. Westbrook was finally traded in 2023 and the Lakers actually played a lot better after that with a trip to the West Finals.
Today, the former MVP has found a new home with the Nuggets and he is making the most of his role there as a backup point guard. Only time will tell how long he can thrive alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray but his legacy will be set as one of the modern game’s greatest players and a pioneer for the point guard position.
He deserved better than what he got with the Lakers and when he eventually retires in the not-too-distant future, a lot of fans will be wishing that he was still around to put on a show with his relentless tenacity.
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