Just hours before tip-off against his former team, Russell Westbrook was asked to respond to the narrative on his Lakers exit last season. In the ugly divorce that took place, Westbrook was scrutinized for being a poor sport in the locker room and a selfish player who was unwilling to adjust his game. According to Russ, however, those claims were false and he never let them control his life.
“Nobody knows, it’s just a made-up narrative that people make easy to run with,” Westbrook said. “There’s never been a teammate, coach, staff — never one thing bad. It’s just what’s made up. But it’s all going to play out. You know why? What makes people upset is how I don’t give a f— because I know who I am, I know what kind of person I am. So I know when people say something, I don’t waver, because I already know. I know what I do behind the scenes that people don’t see. And I like it that way.”
The Lakers were initially hopeful when they traded for Westbrook but things took a turn for the worst when they struggled to win games early on in the season. Eventually, it was undeniable how poor they all played together and Russ was at the center of blame for most fans and critics.
Westbrook Hate Was Out Of Control
Russ averaged 17.4 points per game as a Laker, but his poor shooting and questionable decision-making became a major liability for the team and the fans turned on him pretty early on. After tensions rose all season long, things reached a head when Russ’ wife, Nina admitted to reciting death threats from Lakers fans who hated the family name. During games, fans would take to booing Westbrook anytime he dared to shoot a jump shot, and it got to his head in the end. Eventually, the Lakers were finally able to move on from Westbrook, and his exit there would later be described as removing a “vampire” from the locker room. Unfortunately, Russ’ reputation may never fully recover.
Before being picked up by the Clippers, it was unknown if the former MVP would get another chance to play in the NBA or, at the very least, land another starting role for an NBA team. But even with his reputation at an all-time low, the Clippers took a chance and they haven’t looked back since.
Westbrook Is Out For Revenge
The second half of last season was a bounce-back stretch for Westbrook. As a Clipper, he rose to the occasion and filled his role to perfection alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. In 21 games, he averaged 15.8 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game and carried the team in the playoffs when his co-stars were unavailable. Westbrook loved his run with the Clips so much, that he re-signed as a free agent this past summer and seems to be embracing his role.
Today, Russ and the new-look Clippers will be facing off against the Lakers and it will be the latest chance to see how they stack up against each other. For decades now, the Lakers have owned the Clippers but Westbrook is leading the charge to change that narrative on his team, just like he’s working to change the narrative about himself.
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