Perhaps no star in the NBA today is more highly criticized than Russell Westbrook. During his stint in Los Angeles so far, his poor play has put him at the front and center of backlash from all corners of the community.
And, after going 0-11 against the Clippers on Wednesday, Westbrook found himself at the mercy of the crowd again, who made sure to let him hear their grievances after the buzzer.
Russell Westbrook Goes Viral After Confronting Heckler
In an unfortunate twist, Westbrook is videoed turning around and seemingly threatening one fan who got too carried away. The clip went viral on Twitter, amassing over 10 thousand likes on one post alone.
Fan: "Westbrook you suck ass"
Russell Westbrook: "What'd you say?"
Fan: "C'mon baby, we need you."
The switch up when confronted 💀 pic.twitter.com/IA5sJDomzA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 22, 2022
The trash talker spoke loud and clear when Russ had his back turned, but that appeared to change when Westbrook turned around. Either way, regardless of what was actually said, Westbrook was ready for all the smoke and even stopped and turned around for the fan to be brave enough to say it to his face.
Unfortunately, this has been the story for Westbrook since arriving in L.A. Amid an already complicated situation, Russ has done little to help himself stop the bleeding. According to Charles Barkley, his experience with the Lakers has sapped all the joy out of his life.
Charles Barkley has been one of the few people in the media who have defended Westbrook, as he previously said that he felt Russ and former head coach Frank Vogel were getting scapegoated. Barkley was at it again recently on opening night on Inside the NBA on TNT, as he slammed the Lakers for destroying Westbrook during halftime of their game against the Warriors.
“You know how I feel about Russell Westbrook,” said Barkley. “I admire him, I respect him. It’s time for the Lakers to move him. They’ve taken all his joy out of life and basketball. It’s not about the numbers. First of all, the Lakers stink, we can get that out of the way. Those 2 guys are just out there having fun, AD and LeBron, they’re just getting numbers. You never thought they were going to win this game. This guy used to be so exuberant, playing with great energy and great emotion. I think the wear and tear mentally last year, starting this year, playing with Patrick Beverley. The thing is, he’s going to get the blame no matter what because the Lakers ain’t a championship contender.”
Needless to say, things need to change quickly for the Lakers if they want any hope of a competitive season. In the West alone, there are a lot of obstacles to overcome on the path to success.
No matter how much Russ struggles along the way, he’s not going to let the fans talk down to him without a fight.
