The struggling former MVP refuses to accept that he's not who he used to be
Three years ago, when he was still in that guy, Russell Westbrook foreshadowed his current disastrous situation.
Doubts began to revolve around his game: missed 3 seconds, wrong decisions, reliance on athleticism rather than technique. Asked if he was influenced by criticism, Westbrook said, "I'm lucky to have the talent not to give F-"
This can be interpreted in two ways: he has a talent that doesn't care what others say, or he has so many talents that he doesn't need to care. Both are accurate — they now explain why Westbrook's career is rushing to the cliff with the momentum he once used to attack the basket.
When Los Angeles Lakers guard Westbrook became a tornado in sneakers and was on his way to setting an all-time NBA triple-double, his athleticism and ruthlessness made him unique. No one can stop him from finishing at the rim or getting rid of his accurate mid-range pull-ups. His three-point shooting was always doubtful, with only 30 percent of his career, but he was never afraid to shoot because of his stubborn belief in himself. Most importantly, Westbrook never stopped attacking. He emptied his clips every night and lived according to the mantra "Why not?" "
Now, approaching his 34th birthday, Westbrook can no longer jump over and cross people, but he's been trying. His mid-range was rough and his three goals were worse, but he kept lifting. His history refuses to change remains unchanged. At this point, as criticism of the Los Angeles Lakers' 0-4 start rained down, Westbrook was essentially doing it to himself.
Since the Oklahoma City Thunder politely kicked their MVP point guard out of town in 2019, "Can Russell change his game?" "This question has always been with Westbrook. He briefly seemed to adjust to the Houston Rockets, but didn't like to play off the ball and for the sake of trade. With the Washington Wizards, he played like Westbrook in yesteryear, averaging a triple-double and nearly five turnovers per game. Since coming to the Lakers in 2021, there is no evidence that he is willing to explain his decline in athleticism and the need to expand the floor for teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Now we know: even this adjustment will not happen. Russ is always Russ.
"The same thing that made him a great player was what made him who he is now," Williams said. "Resilient, a bit stubborn, going against the trend and being the tough player we know. But in this case, it also hurts him because he won't adapt.
I actually sympathize with Westbrook. Changing the core of your being is hard. Losing the power that makes you great is painful. When you have the ball, hear your home crowd muttering, sighing and shouting, "Don't shoot!" I don't want anyone to be humiliated in this way, even if he's made $47 million this season.
The Lakers also have deeper problems than Westbrook. General manager Rob Pelinka has made a list Frankenstein that can't complement James and Davis. Forget lasers, Lakers role players shoot like they did after the flashlight park lights go out. Yes, in Monday's loss to Portland, Westbrook missed a pull-up jumper with 27 seconds left in the game, and the shot went up by 18 seconds as the Lakers went up by one point — in this case, the wrong shot. But shortly before that, James missed an ill-advised 3 steps down the wing and had plenty of time left to shoot. Davis opened a rebound from a corner kick on the 3-point side. While people were begging the Lakers to trade Westbrook immediately or even pay him to stay home, neither move solved the team's problems.
But. Westbrook, as Westbrook, does itself no good.
He started the season with a solid performance against the Golden State Warriors: scoring 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. He then won 11-0 against the Los Angeles Clippers, including 6-of-0 shooting from 3, and described his performance after the game as "consistent, playing hard, everything you can ask for."
In the Portland crash, Westbrook shot 4-of-15 from the field, missing all three of his three-pointers. Westbrook shot unbalanced without a defender within six feet of the final crucial moment, and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said after the game they hoped he would take it, summarizing all the criticism of Westbrook's game. Even if you're looking for a 1-of-2 opportunity, why not accept your limits and pass the ball to James or Davis? The only reason is Westbrook's stubborn denial of the obvious: He is not who he used to be.
Westbrook's dilemma has precedent. "A great player is not because he's rational," former Georgetown coach John Thompson told me of his autobiography. He's great because he's irrational. Thompson was talking about Alan Iverson, whose NBA finale should be a warning to Westbrook. When Iverson lost his speed and agility, when his aura faded and he was asked to step off the bench — when Iverson was no longer that guy — he couldn't fit in. He left after starting all 82 games and averaging 26 points.
Speaking of bench appearances: The role has been offered to Westbrook, but the first time new Lakers coach Davin Ham tried the role was in the preseason, which Westbrook claimed was the reason he adjusted his hamstring. He was sidelined Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets with "sore hamstrings" — and the Lakers are still spanked.
Carmelo Anthony, on the other hand, was once that guy and the ninth all-time top scorer in NBA history, able to extend his career by taking on drastically reduced roles. Vince Carter is another superstar who has held out for two decades, embracing his decline rather than fighting it.
But Anthony and Carter have a ratchet from 3. For Westbrook, the team was almost begging him to shoot. Now he's 15 years old, Westbrook may be effective at handoffs, as a off-ball cutter or by keeping the ball dribbling to the basket instead of launching himself at the rim. But there's no sign of that in Los Angeles.
His collapse was painful, like seeing sprinter Usain Bolt. Pull up a lame in his final game or baseball superstar Willie Mays tripped under a fly ball in midfield. But unlike legends who are admired for going all in, there's a sense that Westbrook's struggles can be avoided. And he doesn't seem interested in filling traditional veteran roles like mentors or locker room leaders.
Obviously, Westbrook can't leave what he's done before. Why not? Let us believe the man's words: "I will not change who I am."