After a season of struggle, turmoil, and strife, Russell Westbrook was pinned with the majority of the blame for the Lakers’ failures last season. Whether justified or not, fans turned on Russ pretty quickly into last season, and both sides were hoping for a breakup this summer.
Months later, it looks like Westbrook will be sticking around for a little while longer, and it means that new coach Darvin Ham will have his work cut out for him trying to make it all work.
As for Westbrook, only he can determine how much he’s willing to adjust his game but fans are pressing him to make some major changes.
Interestingly, in an exclusive with Uproxx, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal actually encouraged Westbrook to play his own game and stop deferring to LeBron and AD.
“I don’t think it was his age. I think he was just, and I say this respectfully, I just think he was showing too much respect. I don’t care who I’m playing with it, I’m giving you 28. Fans pay a lot of money for me to make $100 million, I’m giving you 28. It’s not, “every time I get the ball, look for the other stars,” he can play, too, so when I got the ball, I’m gonna do my thing. I can’t do my thing, I’m looking for him. That’s how you got to play. You just can’t concede all the time — here, here, here. Nah, throw me the ball, let me go to work. I gotta average 28 and 15 for personal reason and for these fans.”
“He was just being too nice. I don’t know the relationship between him and LeBron, but if you put that down on paper and I don’t know nothing about basketball, that’s a hell of a backcourt, Russell Westbrook and LeBron James. Why it didn’t work, I don’t know, but watching him play, he was super passive. I don’t need you to be passive, I need you to play your game. I’ll be calling plays, when you get the ball after they miss a shot, run, if you ain’t got nothin, pull it out, give it to LeBron, and call some plays. That’s how it was me, he was just thinking too much. He’s a guy that, when he plays freely, he’s a monster.”
How Will Russell Westbrook Adjust His Game Next To LeBron James And Anthony Davis?
Last season was not very kind to Westbrook. Besides the fact that his Lakers stunk, his numbers were down all across the board, and his efficiency on the court hit new lows.
If Russ really wants to change the narrative, he’s going to have to step up and deliver where it matters the most. He may even have to stand up to his All-Star teammates. The question is, what methods will he employ to benefit his game? That much remains to be seen, but the path to better results may not be what the experts had in mind…
