Shannon Sharpe Rips Into Lakers $206 Million Superstar

Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers

Getty Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers

Russell Westbrook continues to be a hot topic for Los Angeles Lakers fans, as his struggles from last season have carried over into their pre-season contests, and it’s becoming increasingly clear there’s no logical route forward for both him and the team.

On October 13, Westbrook once again irked fans and media alike, as he stayed on the outside of a team huddle to continue with his pre-game ritual – something which most people took as another sign of his pariah status within the organization.

Speaking on an October 14 episode of Fox Sports’ Undisputed, NBA Analyst Shannon Sharpe let loose on Westbrook and his fit with the Lakers roster, making sure his feelings were abundantly clear.

“I think I speak for a lot of Laker fans. They’re about ready to be done with Russ, he doesn’t wanna be a Laker and the Lakers don’t want him. They don’t want him…I’ve never seen somebody wave off a huddle. I just know that when he gets the ball, I get anxious, I wanna turn the TV off cos I know something good is not about to happen. It’s frustrating.

They made a mistake. The Lakers made a mistake, Russ made a mistake in wanting to come to the Lakers. This is not gonna work. As long as he’s on the team, the Lakers are not going to win a championship or really compete for a championship. I’m over this situation. Hopefully, they can get some value out of him running the second unit. I hope that’s the case. But it would be so much better if they were just able to part ways,” Sharpe said on the October 14 episode. 

Unfortunately, Westbrook’s future with the Lakers organization will continue to be a significant talking point for the fan base and the media until he can prove his value to the team – which given his poor fit, might never happen.


Isaiah Thomas Defends Westbrook

While fans and media are both ready to see the back of Westbrook in a Lakers uniform, it’s clear that players around the NBA still believe in his ability to be an elite force of nature similar to the player that won an MVP trophy in 2017.

Shortly after the video showing Westbrook on the outskirts of the team huddle emerged, former Lakers guard and MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas took to Twitter to defend Westbrook, noting how he believes the internet is to blame for the current negative rhetoric surrounding the superstar guard.

“The INTERNET trying to get him out of LA! S*** crazy smh. One of the best dudes I been around for real . Corny how they do this to a few players around the league,” Thomas Tweeted on October 13.

Westbrook provided the Lakers with some reliable production last season, averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists while shooting 48.5% from two-point range but just 29.8% from deep. Still, while those statistics are more than good enough, it was Westbrook’s inability to adapt to playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis that hurt his value with the team, and he’s yet to figure out how to play that role.


Westbrook Wants to Compete

The fit might not be great, and his relationship with the fanbase might be at a low point, but there’s no denying that Westbrook is a fierce competitor who wants to help lead his team to a championship.

Westbrook said as much on October 14, when he spoke to the media following a Lakers’ practice session.

“Honestly I’m just trying to compete and do my job. Everything, videos, get nitpicked. You can cut any video and make anything you want out of it. It’s not up to me to be able to judge that. I know I’m a genuine team player. I’ve never had a problem being with my teammates, so I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing,” Westbrook said. 

Unfortunately, Sharpe might be right, and it may take a trade to propel both Westbrook and the Lakers back toward championship contention, and that would be a fascinating storyline to watch unfold.
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