We get it, the downfall must be hard on Russell Westbrook. He felt unstoppable not too long ago, with a personality and game built on intimidation. Today he couldn’t scare the Cowardly Lion.
Washed up and vulnerable. It happens to every NBA player, just more pronounced with Westbrook and a little bit earlier at 33 years old.
He’s playing on the NBA’s biggest stage with the Lakers, and Westbrook’s shot is so embarrassing the fans created a clever and appropriate nickname, ‘Westbrick.’
So Westbrook reverted to what used to work with media, fans and opponents, when he’d puff out his chest and threaten.
Get a load of this audacious answer:
“Me and my wife was at teacher-parent conference for my son, and the teacher told me, she’s like, “Noah, he’s so proud of his last name. He writes it everywhere. He writes it on everything. He tells everybody, he walks around and says, “I’m Westbrook. Westbrook, that’s my last name.” And I kind of sat there in shock. And it hit me, like damn, I can no longer allow people — for example, Westbrick, to me, is now shaming. It’s like shaming my name. It’s my legacy for my kids. It’s a name that means more, not just to me, but to my wife, my mom, my dad are the ones that kind of paved the way for me. And that’s just one example. I mean, that kind of hit myself and my wife in a place where it’s not great, man. And I think a lot of times I let it slide, but it’s now time to put a stop to that and put it on notice there is a difference, and we need to make sure it’s understood. And every time I do hear it now, I will make sure that I address it and make sure that I nip that in the bud.”
WHAT. A. HYPOCRITE.
I mean, seriously.
When he was on top of the world, Westbrook bullied, intimidated and insulted. He had the power in nearly every working dynamic, especially with the media, and he used it to be a Class A jerk. There are video packages of Westbrook “roasting” reporters who dared ask a question he didn’t feel like answering.
His bullying was embraced and beloved in OKC because it was supposedly indicative of his killer instinct, even though the sport’s greatest competitors (Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant) never resorted to Westbrook’s level of ridicule.
So now that he’s lost his power and confidence, what does Westbrook do? He makes a lame attempt at garnering sympathy by bringing up his son and a parent-teacher conference.
Cringe.
There are a few lines that heckling fans should never cross, and it’s easy to remember two of the most important:
Don’t talk about family. Keep it about basketball.
‘Westbrick’ is a perfectly reasonable heckle. It’s about a basketball shot. Only Westbrook made it about his son. It may hurt Westbrook’s feelings because he’s shooting 28% on 3-pointers, but there are $40 million reasons he’s expected to be better.
No longer a bully with power, the only way Westbrook can nip his nickname “in the bud” is to hit some shots.
