Russell Westbrook announced his retirement from the NBA despite offers from multiple teams to continue playing. Patrick Beverley, his former teammate from the Lakers, blames the NBA media and their former team for forcing his hand with consistent criticism.
Beverley recorded an episode of his podcast in which he spoke at length about his feelings on Westbrook’s career and how it ended.
“I felt like he had a lot of game left. I feel like he played really well last season. I think the media killed his game. I’m going to be honest. I think the media is so strong that it allowed fans to call him names. It allowed fans to have opinions about his game, which also forced team owners, GMs, and presidents to look at him a certain way.”
“When you talk about guards that’s in the NBA and it’s right and it’s no disrespect to to guys that’s on current teams but when you talk about you see Lonnie Walker you talk about Lonnie Walker and I it’s no disrespect to Lonnie Walker he’s a good friend of mine but if he can make an NBA team Russell Westbrook can make an NBA team without a doubt,” Beverley said.
“You’re talking about 20 and 20 cuz heavy on the dubs heavy on the couses straight up shout out to Russell Westbrook, gone too early vibe I’m going to be honest, you feel me? Legend. Legend.”
“And I think it all turned when, you know, I said this before and I’m going to be honest. I think it all turned when he went to the Lakers and left. I think he had a dark cloud over his head.”
Beverley has been consistent over the years about his feelings that joining the Lakers was the turning point in Westbrook’s career.
“Teams didn’t know if he was a team player. Teams didn’t know if he was a good locker room guy. I mean, he was a teammate of mine. One of my favorite teammates. You talking about sacrificing the MVP?”
“Mind you, me and him got beef. They started me, got him coming off the bench. I can laugh about it now cuz it’s partly entertaining, but they got Russ coming off the bench and got Pat Bev starting in front of him.”
“So like, and he still kept it core. He still was professional. He still like came in and did everything right. Every team dinner, every on time, everything stretched with the team. He did everything correct, man. He did everything correct,” the former Lakers player further added.
“Bittersweet to me cuz I’mma keep it a buck. Bittersweet to me. Shout out to Russ. Shout out to the triple-double king. Like, giving flowers is a must. So, salute to you, bro.”
“Obviously, I’m just mentioning all the on-the-court stuff, right? I’m not even mentioning, ‘Hey yo, Pat. Yeah, go to my car lot if you need a car.’ ‘Hey yo, Pat. Yeah. ‘Honor the gift’, your clothing line, if you want to come down here in LA and get you some clothes for you and the homies.’ Like, I ain’t even mentioning none of that.”
“I ain’t even mentioning giving back to communities, making LA great again. I’m not even mentioning none of that. I’m just strictly on basketball. But with that and basketball, shout out to you, Russ. You deserve it all, bro. I hate to see you go so early. I know you got a ton of game left in you. A ton of game. Love always, gang. Love, love, love,” Beverley concluded.
The Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards wanted to sign the 37-year-old, but he decided to walk away from the game on his own terms. Both teams offered him a reduced role behind younger players like Darius Acuff Jr., which apparently led him to balk at the offers and choose retirement.
Westbrook ended his career averaging 20.9 points, 8.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 43.8% from the field. Even after his retirement, media figures like Skip Bayless continue to argue that he doesn’t deserve Hall of Fame recognition.
So it is no wonder that while Draymond Green blames fans, Beverley thinks the NBA media and the Lakers are more responsible for Westbrook’s decision to retire.
It seems that Westbrook still has career opportunities in other leagues, but for now the 37-year-old is still contemplating what’s next. It will be very fascinating to see if Westbrook still contributes to the basketball world after his retirement or if he plans to stay under the radar like some retired legends.
