In light of his recent string of subpar performances, Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has been the target of blame and criticism by frustrated fans. For many, his shortcomings as a player are holding the team back on both ends of the floor.
After every loss, Laker Nation storms social media to flame and roast him for his struggles. Even on the team’s off days, the guy can’t seem to catch a break.
Recently, Russ found himself going viral again after a video surfaced of a message he was sent by one disgruntled fan. Instead of sending a long rant to Westbrook, the user rapped a parody of Tyga’s verse in “Loyal” that took several harsh (and hilarious) blows at the 1x MVP.
Needless to say, fans have been loving the clip and it produced a ton of reactions online. Unfortunately, it’s going to take more than a well-made parody to turn things around for Russ.
With averages of 18.7 points, 8.1 assists, and 8.2 rebounds per game, his stats are down (relatively speaking) across the board, and his carelessness with the ball has him at roughly 4.4 turnovers per game.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have been struggling to get a handle on their season. They stand at 7th in the West with a 21-21 record overall. They’re 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Through it all, Russ has kept a pretty cool head.
“I never worry,” Westbrook said. “Do the job. Be professional. Every year, my name is in trade (rumors). It never, never, never seeps into how I approach what I do. It’s kind of what I was mentioning back there (during the press conference). I see this game so different (in terms of) how to use it to be able to impact things.”
So far, the Lakers have failed to provide an answer on how they can find success this season. As Russ, and others, continue to struggle, the team continues to rack up losses.
Unless things change quickly, the heat from fans will only intensify over the next few weeks. And, unfortunately for Russ, not all the trolls are as creative and entertaining as the IG rapper.
