When you hear the name ‘Russell Westbrook’ today, thoughts of bricks and turnovers might be the first things that come to mind. Truth be told, the past few seasons have been a disaster for Russ and it has really damaged his legacy.
Still, nothing can erase what he did on the Thunder. There, Russ played like one of the best point guards in the league and he was widely beloved and adored by the fans. Back in 2017, Westbrook was at the height of his powers and won his first (and only) MVP trophy.
In fact, tomorrow marks the anniversary of one of Westbrook’s most iconic performances: his 50-point triple-double, the first one since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Can Westbrook Bounce Back After A Rough Launch With The Lakers?
Since leaving the Thunder, Westbrook just hasn’t been the same player. The high-flying, playmaking superstar we all know and love hasn’t been seen in some time. Now, as he struggles on the Lakers, many fans and experts have turned on him completely.
Regarding the Lakers franchise itself, they are doing their best to respect Westbrook and his track record of greatness. In the meantime, his fellow players have been showing up in droves to support him.
While a lot of fans tend to attack Russell Westbrook, he definitely has his respect from other players. After a game against the Lakers, Hornets star Miles Bridges claimed that he doesn’t understand the hate towards Russell Westbrook, and lauded his ability after getting asked why it was hard for the Hornets to close the game. He reminded everyone that Westbrook has made the Finals and won an MVP, and added that he’s a “great player.”
Russell Westbrook. He gets all the hate in the world but you got to praise the man. He’s an MVP in this league, made the Finals. He’s a great player, man. All the hate he gets, I don’t get it. But yeah, Russell Westbrook did a great job.
Needless to say, only Westbrook can control how he responds to all this adversity. So far, he hasn’t done much except play the victim and deny any accountability.
But if Russ can re-discover some of the magic he had back in 2018, it could help lift the Lakers out of this hole.
