NFL
By: Christopher Jordan
Since the Lakers missed the playoffs and the play-in-tournament this past season. Most of the talk has been about Russell Westbrook and his struggles this past season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Coming into the season, the Lakers were the favorites to win the 2021-2022 NBA champions. One of the reasons why the Lakers were favored to win the title was because of the big 3 with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.
Despite Westbrook being a top 75 player of all time and a future Hall of Famer. Westbrook’s style of play was a big question mark playing alongside LeBron James because Westbrook has always been a player that needs the ball and his inability to make shots from the perimeter.
However, people still felt like the Lakers could still overcome Westbrook and be one of the best to contend for a championship.
From the start of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers were a disaster for many reasons. The Lakers lacked shooting, perimeter defense, health, and poor production from key players.
Westbrook played a factor in almost everything on why the Lakers underachieved this season. Westbrook shot the ball poorly from the perimeter, was a poor defender at most times, and never held himself accountable for his poor play.
Throughout the season it got so bad Westbrook had even told the media that he never had any expectations playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Having no expectations for a franchise that’s tied for the most NBA championships which are 17. Westbrook grew up in Los Angeles and the team he grew up watching and loving was his beloved Lakers.
Players such as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, James Worthy, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, and the list goes on. Are all-time Lakers greats and some of the greatest players that have ever played the game of basketball?
With all the great history with the Lakers organization, Westbrook should’ve known it was extreme expectations to not only compete for a championship but win a championship for the purple & gold.
Russell Westbrook led the NBA in turnovers for most of the season and his decision-making at the point guard position was just atrocious at times and it was just a gut brunch to the Lakers organization.
The Laker’s poor season wasn’t all on Westbrook because basketball is a team sport, and everyone plays a role on a team. However, when you’re known as one of the best basketball players ever and you are selected as a top 75 player of all time while playing for one of the most storied franchises in sports history.
There are values and expectations you have to fulfill when you’re playing for something better than yourself. Westbrook didn’t play his part and fulfill his obligation for the LA Lakers.
LeBron and Anthony Davis not being unavailable in most games also played a big factor in why the Lakers underachieved as a team. Unlike Westbrook when LeBron was available on the court he would always perform and do what he does best which is showing up and living everything out on the court.
One of the main reasons why the Lakers traded for Westbrook was because they thought he could hold down the fork and keep the Lakers a contending team when LeBron or AD was out of the lineup.
All the talk this off-season is about Westbook getting traded from the Los Angeles Lakers and going elsewhere.
The real question is are the Lakers bringing Westbrook back and allowing him to redeem himself this upcoming season or will the Lakers move on and try a new experiment?
