Getty Lakers guard Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook’s teammates tried everything in the book and then some to help the one-time MVP play well this season.
In fact, some Los Angeles Lakers players attempted a bizarre tactic to give him extra motivation to take his game to the next level.
According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, a few of Westbrook’s teammates would tell him that the coaches hated him to get the UCLA product to play angry and better.
“There’s also guys in the locker room who were so disgruntled about their position that every time something goes bad for Russ, they just find a way to feed the beast,” a team source told Shelburne. “Telling him the coaches hate you or the front office is trying to get rid of you. Anything to fuel that monster, and give him an enemy.”
Westbrook struggled mightily in his first season with the Lakers. Although he put up solid per-game averages of 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists, the nine-time All-Star shot only 29.8% from beyond the arc and committed 295 turnovers in 78 games.
On top of his struggles on the court, Westbrook’s strong personality didn’t help either, making this season one of the most dysfunctional campaigns in Lakers history.
Westbrook’s Personality Fit ‘Even Worse’ Than ‘Basketball Fit’
According to Shelburne, Lakers insiders felt Westbrook’s personality was worse than his basketball fit and that’s saying a lot since the future Hall of Famer was such a poor fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis due to his putrid shooting skills.
“Westbrook was a bad basketball fit, but team insiders insist the personality fit, alongside the often passive-aggressive James and nonconfrontational coach Frank Vogel, was even worse,” Shelburne reported.
Westbrook had 30 turnovers in his first five games as a Laker. LeBron and Davis were excited to add the explosive point guard since they thought he could take some of the scoring and playmaking burdens off them. However, it’s evident that the Lakers should have never traded for Westbrook.
“I think they lost faith in Russ as a ball-handler after the first few weeks,” one team source told Shelburne. “And he knew it because they took him off the ball and started asking him to stand in the corner or set screens.”
Westbrook was booed at home games by Lakers fans and called “Westbrick” on the road. It took a toll on him mentally, so much so that he didn’t know who to trust since his teammates didn’t defend him publicly.
Westbrook Was in ‘Dark Corner’ This Season
Shelburne reports that Westbrook was in a “dark corner” this season. The Lakers’ coaching staff was direct with him in film sessions and private discussions. However, his teammates weren’t always the same way.
“The reality of the season was that Russ has been in a dark corner, and he doesn’t know who to trust or who to believe,” a team source told Shelburne. “Then, if something doesn’t go well for him, he backs up a little more.”
Westbrook has a player option worth $47,063,478 for next season and he’s widely expected to pick it up. The Lakers will likely try to trade him this summer, but that will be difficult since Russ struggled this season and is owed a lot of money in 2022-23.