Over the last couple of years, Russell Westbrook has been one of the most maligned players in the NBA. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, his hometown team that he grew up rooting for, in the summer of 2021, and he likely thought he was coming home to win a world championship.
Instead, the team struggled as he failed to fit in, and it failed to reach the play-in tournament that season. Although the reasons for its struggles were more complex, many blamed Westbrook and made him the scapegoat for all that went wrong. Pundits pointed to his poor outside shooting, penchant for committing turnovers, and questionable decision-making as the reason why the Lakers sunk into quicksand.
But ever since joining the Clippers late last season, Westbrook has played much better, and on a personal level, he seems revitalized. In fact, the media’s perception of him even seems to have improved since then.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
Turner Sports NBA analyst Kenny Smith even said recently that Westbrook is the most underrated player in the league.
In 21 games with the Clippers during the 2022-23 campaign, Westbrook averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 assists a game. He shot 48.9 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from 3-point range, and both figures were significantly higher than his career marks.
So far this season, he’s at 15.2 points on 51.6 percent overall shooting and 38.9 percent from downtown, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per contest. Although his Clippers lost in overtime to the Lakers on Wednesday, he still managed to contribute 24 points, 11 boards, eight assists, and four steals.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
Although he is a flawed player, Westbrook’s ability to charge down the court in transition, put pressure on opposing defenses, and get good shots for himself or his teammates is still an immense talent.
He is set to be joined by former regular season MVP James Harden, whom the Clippers acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. The two played together just over a decade ago on the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it will be interesting to see how the chemistry between these two ball-dominant guards develops.
