Russell Westbrook’s already remarkable career is being further validated as the Clippers climb the Western Conference standings. The Hall of Fame point guard is having a comeback season on the Clippers that has him more locked in than ever, according to Kawhi Leonard’s Chinese agent.
To be honest, I didn’t think much of Westbrook when I first started working as a reporter. In addition, he was not very cordial with the press,” she added. Adams then revealed to me that Westbrook’s transformation into this character resulted from his initial interactions with reporters being kind and nice, but once they misreported, he felt deceived and lost all faith in them, which negatively impacted his attitude toward them. Nevertheless, Westbrook has been really content since joining the Clippers,
Westbrook’s life hasn’t been easy since leaving the Thunder, and he spent years looking for a place to call home before the Clippers offered him a chance. But now that he’s discovered his last squad, Russ is making the most of his remaining time.
A Los Angeles disaster
Russell Westbrook was traded to the Lakers in 2021 following unsuccessful experiences with the Washington Wizards and Rockets. Thoughts of him working with LeBron James and Anthony Davis were high at first, but as the Lakers struggled to win games that season and looked much worse to begin the 2022–23 campaign, those hopes were dashed. Westbrook averaged 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game on just 43% shooting in 130 games for the Lakers.
To put it briefly, the Westbrook experiment was a complete bust for the Lake Show and a multifaceted failure for the company. From the beginning, things didn’t work out well, and in the end, Westbrook took the majority of the responsibility. By the time he was eventually dealt by the Lakers, many wondered if he would ever agree to another long-term deal.
For The Clippers, a New Era
After being bought out by the Jazz the previous season, Westbrook made the decision to join the Clippers, and it’s working out well for everyone. Running the second unit of one of the league’s deepest teams has allowed Russ to thrive in a smaller role with the Clippers, and it has made him an invaluable part of the rotation.
The Clippers’ offense has been enhanced to a new level by having Westbrook there to drive the play and maintain intensity all the time. They are starting to seem like a serious playoff contender in the West now that James Harden has joined the team.
At this point, the Clippers have the ability to defeat any opponent at full strength, regardless of how far they end up going. This Clippers squad has the potential to create history and dispel the negative energy that has dogged the team for many years if they can stay injury-free and earn home-court advantage in the postseason. For better or worse, Westbrook will travel with the team both this season and next.
