Despite his illustrious resume, Lakers star Russell Westbrook is one of the NBA’s most controversial players. While some describe his game as electric and inspiring, others call it excessive and out of control.
In a more recent comparison, one Eastern Conference executive went so far as to compare Russ to Allen Iverson, saying that he’s unwilling to adapt and change his game to the benefit of the team.
(via ESPN)
“Russ reminds me of Allen Iverson, wanting to win but wanting to win on his terms. If he can take a step back and win in L.A., it will validate everything else he’s done in the league.”
Unsurprisingly, Westbrook challenged that comparison. As he explained to the media, his game is cut from a different cloth entirely.
“I disagree for multiple reasons,” Westbrook told ESPN. “No. 1, I believe that I am a one-of-a-kind player, and I respect Allen and respect everything he’s done for the game, but I’m not comparable to Allen Iverson by any means. No. 2, is that I’ve been probably — I feel, myself — always trying to fit in to do the best for the betterment of the team. And I’ve always done that in my career, and I’ll continue to do that and whatever happens, happens. If we win a championship, cool. If we don’t, I’m OK with that too and life goes on.”
Westbrook, 33, has seen varying degrees of success over his 13 seasons in the NBA. In 2012, he helped lead OKC to the NBA Finals, where he eventually lost to the Miami Heat big three. He would go on to win MVP many seasons later after averaging a triple-double on the season.
He then saw short and underwhelming stints in Houston and D.C. before coming to the Lakers. Now, he’s facing one of his hardest assignments he tries to fit in with the rest of the team.
Like Iverson, Westbrook plays with heart and nobody can deny he’s passionate about the game. To achieve greater success, however, it might be time to take a back seat and let someone else run the show.
