Russell Westbrook has faced widespread criticism in recent years, particularly during his stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers. Initially, Thunder fans admired him, but as he hit a rough patch in his career, the support quickly faded. NBA legend Oscar Robertson recently opened up about the situation.
On the “All the Smoke” podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Robertson revealed that he had warned Westbrook about how fans can turn on players. Robertson expressed his disappointment with how things unfolded, noting that his prediction came true when Thunder fans eventually turned against Westbrook.
It’s unfortunate for Westbrook that they’ve been doing some of these things to him. I think the guy is very valuable to any team he’s with…I went out to see him in Oklahoma. And I was very happy for the guy. I told him ‘I’m happy for you but they’re gonna turn on you.’ They’re gonna expect you to do this every night.
Oscar Robertson said
Westbrook remained with the Thunder for several more years but was eventually moved on as the franchise sought to build a new legacy around young stars. Now, Westbrook has signed with the Denver Nuggets, potentially marking his final opportunity to pursue an NBA title before retiring from his career.
NBA star Damian Lillard once came to Russell Westbrook’s support
Despite his propensity to rack up stats, Russell Westbrook has been one of the league’s most mocked players in recent years. While Westbrook played beside LeBron James and Anthony Davis for parts of his two-year stay with the Los Angeles Lakers, the criticism erupted. NBA player Damian Lillard once stepped out in support of Westbrook despite their bitter rivalry.
When Lillard spoke on the Back on Figg podcast, he defended Westbrook against critics who believed he had lost his talent.
The fact that people talk on his name and how they be just making him an easy target and a subject, that s*** is just crazy to me.
Damian Lillard said on the Back on Figg Podcast
Despite Westbrook’s struggles in recent seasons, Damian Lillard believes that the criticism hasn’t significantly impacted his on-court performance. Instead, Lillard thinks Westbrook faced more challenges dealing with off-court issues during his time with the Lakers.
However, Westbrook seemed to regain his form after joining the Los Angeles Clippers and has since made a move to the Denver Nuggets.
