Russell Westbrook was one of the most criticized players in the NBA this season. That was due to the combination of him being in the Los Angeles market and his own inconsistent performances.
There has been a lot of attention towards Russell Westbrook’s relationship with now ex-coach Frank Vogel. There were even reports that Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook clashed from the first day of Westbrook’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Russ [Westbrook) never respected Frank [Vogel] from Day 1,” said one Lakers staff member with knowledge of the situation. “The moment Frank said anybody who gets the rebound can bring it up the court, which is just how the NBA is played these days, Russ was like, ‘Naw, I’m the point guard. Give the ball to me. Everybody run. Frank was like, ‘No, we have Talen [Horton-Tucker)] We have Austin [Reaves]. We have Malik. We have LeBron. We have AD. They can all bring the ball up.’ He was like, ‘Nope, I’m the point guard. Give me that s—. Everybody get out the way.’
Russell Westbrook’s altercations with Frank Vogel have caused some to suggest that their relationship affected the team’s performances. However, Malik Monk has recently revealed that the two never let that come ahead of the team, and it’s clear that the duo maintained professionalism despite their disagreements.
Malik Monk on strained relationship between Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook: "They never really let that come between us and the team."
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) April 11, 2022
“They never really let that come between us and the team.”
As of now, it seems likely that Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook are going their separate ways. Frank Vogel has been let go by the Los Angeles Lakers, while Russell Westbrook seems like he wants to stay, as he has expressed interest in running things back with Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Hopefully, we see both Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook find success in the future. Frank Vogel is a championship coach, while Russell Westbrook is a former MVP. They both can be valuable to a team, and hopefully, they end up in good situations for them.
