It seems that the hate Russell Westbrook has been receiving from Los Angeles Lakers fans over the last year is really getting to him.
There is really no other way to say it, but Westbrook’s tenure as a member of the Lakers roster has been a disaster. He has developed little chemistry with superstar teammates Lebron James and Anthony Davis over the last year, and that fact has shown in the team’s poor results in that time. He had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2021-2022 and it actually led to serious discussions of having the former league MVP start games off the bench in the new season.
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As of now, Westbrook still remains in the starting lineup, but that may not last for much longer after a historically bad 0-11 shooting performance earlier this week in Los Angeles’ second straight loss to start the season. And the same fanbase that dubbed him “Westbrick” last year let him know about it following their recent loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook caught on video challenging heckler
On Saturday, Bleacher Report posted a video from immediately after the Lakers’ defeat to the Clippers earlier this week. As Westbrook is leaving the court to head to the locker room, a fan is recording a video as they yell out to the point guard. With Westbrook ignoring their catcalls, the fan screams out, ‘Westbrook, you suck a**.” The video continues to follow other players leaving the court until it’s realized that the nine-time All-Star has returned to the tunnel entrance.
- Russell Westbrook stats (2022): 105 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 30.4 FG%
The video catches the Lakers star yelling back to the fan three different times, “What did you say?” Probably in shock at the fact that the NBA great even cared about what they had to say, the fan is silent and has no retort for Westbrook. The 33-year-old eventually walks off as an arena security official escorts him to the locker room.
Westbrook’s frustration is understandable, but showing thin skin after 15 seasons in the NBA is a bit surprising. Maybe it was the fact that a fan in his home arena was verbally bashing him, or his poor play over the last year is getting to him more than he is letting on.