Russell Westbrook

What Happened To Russell Westbrook?

by

If you are a fan of the NBA, then Russell Westbrook is a name known to many. Whether you love or hate him, Westbrook is arguably one of the best point guards in the league and undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer. 

If you have paid any attention during the NBA trade deadline, then you may have noticed Russell Westbrook landing a new home not once but twice since being traded from the Lakers. First, on February 8th, the Lakers entered a 3-team deal with Minnesota and Utah, with Utah ultimately landing Russell Westbrook. Then comes February 20th, when the Utah Jazz waived Westbrook, and on February 22nd, the Los Angeles Clippers announced the signing of Russell Westbrook. 

Lakers Season 2021

Since joining the Lakers roster in 2021 and playing two seasons with them, Russell Westbrook was always the topic to talk about in Los Angeles. In the 2021 season, Russel Westbrook played a total of 78/82 regular season games for the Lakers. In that timeframe, he played for an average of 34.3 minutes per game and had an average of 18.5 points per game. He averaged 44.4% from the field goal and 29.8% from the 3pt line for his shooting stats. He averages 7.4 per game for rebounds, 7.1 assists per game, 1.0 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game. 

Lakers Season 2022

The 2022 season for Russell Westbrook is where things started to shift in the wrong direction. This season he played a total of 52 games before being traded and averaged 28.7 minutes per game, the lowest amount he has played in his career. He averaged 15.9 points, his second-lowest points stat line in his career. He averaged 41.7% from the field goal and 29.6% from the 3pt line. Westbrook averaged 6.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. 

Between his two Lakers seasons, 2021 was a better year for the point guard as he maintained a higher stat rate than his 2022 year. However, we do have to consider that he was traded in the middle of the 2022 season. In addition, his stat line will vary since he left for the Clippers, so we need to find out how well he could have done for the remainder of the Lakers season. 

Lakers Environment

Russell Westbrook has been very vocal about his time as a Laker, especially about the crowd and fans. He even said he didn’t want his kids to attend home games. The fans were very hostile toward Russell and were sarcastic towards him when he did play well. Furthermore, he talked about how the vibes were awkward with them and even had problems with many of them. 

Before the Westbrook trade, the Lakers had the probability of trading him after the season. On the ClutchPoints website, they said this about Westbrook, “It might cost the Lakers two future first-round picks, but Russ will probably be traded after this season. His one campaign in Los Angeles has been historically disastrous. He will be blamed (unfairly) for a trade that dismantled a championship-proven squad and hamstrung the team’s future.”

Career Statistics for Russell Westbrook

Looking back on Russell Westbrook’s career, he has thrived back in his time as an OKC Thunder starting in 2008. He played with them until 2018, then was traded to the Rockets in 2019 and the Wizards in 2020, became a Laker for the 2021-2022 season, and finally stayed in L.A. only to be a Clipper. 

In his career, Westbrook has played a total of 1,079 games averaging 34.4 minutes per game. He has averaged 22.4 points per game, averaging 43.7% from the field goal and 30.4% from the 3pt line. In addition, he has averaged 7.3 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. 

Looking back at his overall stats in his career, his time at the Lakers has been relatively his worse performance-wise. Whether to blame Westbrook or his team for his statistics is debatable. Furthermore, from the times we’ve seen him play, he was subjected to many missed points, bad call-making, and fouling. Additionally, statistic-wise, and being the big-time player that he is, he underperformed for the Lakers. From that alone, it makes us wonder if his time and contract for the Lakers was worth it or not.

Clippers Season so far

After stealing the starting position from Terance Mann, Russell Westbrook has started to put up some decent numbers since debuting for the Clippers. Westbrook has played a total of 6 games, and from the time of this article, the Clippers are 1-5 since adding Westbrook. He has played an average of 31.7 minutes since joining. He has been averaging 15.3 points with a 52.1% from the field goal and 27.8% from the 3pt line. For his career so far, he has averaged 4.0 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks. 

Furthermore, everyone in the Clippers has been relatively optimistic about the arrival of Westbrook. Paul George was asked about the addition to Westbrook, and he had this to say, “Extremely important. He fits what a leader is as a point guard. Constantly just keeping guys uplifted, just staying positive. You need guys like that, especially from the point guard position.” Ivica Zubac, who plays center for the Clippers, had this to stay, “I like it a lot. It’s way better than I thought it would be… He’s a great leader, also. He’s very vocal. Something we needed… He has a great attitude, he’s always smiling, always laughing, and being very positive. I’m super excited he’s here.”

An end note to Russell Westbrook

With the craziness that has occurred in the span of a couple of years for Russell Westbrook, many want to see him succeed, but others want to see him fail. We expected to see him as a Thunder forever, but business is business. Even with the many teams he has been on since leaving the Thunder, his name is always somewhere online for the good and the bad. Russell Westbrook is a tough player who will get the job done and wants to win. Hopefully, being added to the Clippers will give Westbrook a fresh start in L.A.

Russell Westbrook & His Latest Outfit Make For Perfect Meme Fodder

by

Russell Westbrook is a player who has been subjected to a whole lot of criticism over these past few years. It always feels like Russ is being slandered in some type of way, which is disappointing to see. Overall, this slander comes from a place of disappointment. Although Russ was an incredible player in his prime, he has had a major fall-off that has been quite shocking. While on the Los Angeles Lakers, he took a lot of punishment, and that has not stopped now that he is with the Clippers.

In his first few games with the Clippers, Russ has only been able to secure one victory. It is a pretty bad sign for the Clippers who have gone from fourth in the West all the way down to eighth. In fact, the Lakers are now just two games back from overtaking them. However, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited if you are a Clippers fan. They are in the midst of building a massive new arena called the Intuit Dome. Yesterday, the players got to see the construction site in person as Steve Ballmer made an energetic speech.

Russell Westbrook In Construction Gear

Unfortunately, for Russ and the rest of his teammates, they were all forced to wear construction outfits. Overall, this is especially unfortunate for Russ as his nickname is “Westbrick.” Simply put, the image of him wearing construction gear has already become a meme. As many fans pointed out on Twitter, it almost felt like Westbrook was being set up here. Subsequently, whenever Russell Westbrook has a bad shooting night, this image will be littered all over Twitter.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will also be subjected to this kind of slander, so Russ shouldn’t feel too singled out here. Although, you cannot deny how truly hilarious all of this is. The Clippers are in a freefall of sorts, and this just feels like kicking someone when they are already on the ground. Let us know what you think of all this, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.

Fans React

[Via]

Russell Westbrook Gets Two Kings Fans Ejected: Watch

by

Russell Westbrook is currently on the Los Angeles Clippers. Following two awful seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Russ was able to escape. However, he opted to remain in the same building as he decided to go with the other team in Los Angeles. Although the Clippers have gotten off to a slow start with Russ on the team, they are starting to find their footing. Just a couple of nights ago, the team was able to defeat the Sacramento Kings, who are a team that has largely dominated the Clippers this season.

If you know anything about Russ, it is that he oftentimes gets abuse from the fans. Overall, he is someone who is easy to chirp. This is due to his statistical performance and his abundance of turnovers. That said when Russ feels as though fans are getting out of line, he immediately does something about it. Over the past few years, we have seen him get fans ejected. While playing the Kings a couple of nights ago, that is exactly what went down.

Russell Westbrook Voices Displeasure

In the Twitter video up above, courtesy of Clutch Points, you can Westbrook asking for the referee to come over. Subsequently, Russ points to the two fans and asks for them to be removed. All of the fans courtside are looking at the two Kings supporters, and there was this fanfare around them being booted from the game. Ultimately, Westbrook got his wish and he was able to move on swiftly. At this time, there is no account of what was said to Westbrook. However, one can imagine it had to be inappropriate if Russ felt it was necessary to say something about it.

Ever since the pandemic, the NBA has had some issues as it pertains to fan interactions. In today’s video age, the fans have gotten bolder than ever. Although, on the flip side of that, their behavior is being recorded. It is an interesting dynamic that the NBA is still actively trying to work through. Hopefully, for Russ and others throughout the league, the fans start to show a bit more respect, moving forward.

[Via]

Isaiah Thomas Scolds Russell Westbrook For Not Taking Open Shot

by

Isaiah Thomas recently took to Twitter to address Russell Westbrook not taking an open shot during a Clippers versus Warriors game. Westbrook, who plays for the former, faced Draymond Green as his defense opponent on the court, but he left him open to shoot from the three-point line. Instead of taking the unguarded chance to shoot, Russ kept possession and passed it off after some long seconds. While NBA Twitter blew up with takes and disappointed remarks about his shot, Thomas pointed out how time and place have a huge effect.

“Come on Russ we gotta step in and shoot that,” the former Boston Celtic tweeted. “That ain’t coo! OKC Russ is firing that even if he 1/10. Mindset and confidence is everything.” Later, he responded to someone suggesting that Russ didn’t have to shoot for three. Instead, he could’ve gone further down for a mid-range shot, which Thomas agreed with. “Ain’t talking about the 3,” he replied. “Step in and shoot the mid range pull up.” While Russ has had some great nights (and subsequent inexplicable long-term benches) with the Clippers so far, this wasn’t one of them for many fans.

Isaiah Thomas Gives Russell Westbrook A Shooting Tip

Still, Westbrook’s reputation as a star player overshadows a single shot with ease. In fact, it’s his experience and rapport with other players that reportedly got him involved with the Clippers in the first place. “The Clippers are pretty much admitting Paul George drove this decision,” Brian Windhorst said. “And from what I understand, they were internally against it at the start. Paul pushed for it publicly and privately. Kawhi {Leonard} supported it. And they looked more into it, and they were like ‘Well, you know, there are some things he can potentially help us with.’”

Meanwhile, a faulty run with the Clippers could put a question mark on his career. But if one thing’s for sure, it’s that he’ll remain a highly discussed, often polarizing, but nonetheless impactful basketball player. With all that said, who better to give him advice than his peers on opposing sides of the court? Regardless of whether it’s good or bad, check back in with HNHH for the latest on Russell Westbrook.

Russell Westbrook Inexplicably Benched In 4th Quarter

by

Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz recently where he was eventually bought out. Subsequently, Russ went to the Los Angeles Clippers where he will get to engage in some playoff basketball. In his first game with the Clippers, the team engaged in a classic shootout with the Sacramento Kings. Although they lost by a score of 176-175, there is no doubt that Russ was great in the match. The Clippers appear to be a much better fit for Russ, and you can tell that he is already much happier.

Last night, the Clippers took on the Denver Nuggets, who are the top team in the Western Conference. Overall, Russ had another great game as he had a total of 17 points after three quarters. However, Russ was inexplicably left on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. Moreover, once the game went to overtime, he didn’t see any minutes there either. What makes this decision so interesting is the fact that Russ had done nothing wrong. He was great during the game, and the Clippers could have won with him in the lineup.

Russell Westbrook Benched

Consequently, Ty Lue was questioned about his decision following the game. For Lue, it was simply a matter of momentum. He felt as though the lineup that finished the game was gaining steam and he didn’t want to mess up the chemistry. Overall, his decision turned out to be a bad one as the Clippers lost yet another game. It also elicited a ton of comments from fans on social media. For the most part, fans are upset, and they want Russ to get a fair shake on his new team.

“Minutes limited Paul George played 36 minutes tonight. Russell Westbrook played 25 minutes…didn’t play in the 4th quarter or overtime. No injury news given. Tyronn Lue is a suspect and I hope you’re searching your name to see this,” One user wrote. Many other comments were very similar to this, as they could not believe Ty Lue’s decision-making. Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

Twitter Reacts

[Via]

Clippers Reportedly Didn’t Want Russell Westbrook At First

by

Russell Westbrook had a very difficult time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Overall, his skill set did not fit what that team needed. Although he eventually became a bench player for the team, he still wasn’t playing how they were hoping him to. He was a turnover machine and had some of the worst shooting numbers in the league. Moreover, he was not the triple-double machine he used to be. Having said that, it should come as absolutely no surprise that he was traded at the deadline.

Russ was sent to the Utah Jazz, who made it clear that they wanted to buy out his deal. That is exactly what they did, making Russ a free agent. From there, Westbrook spoke to numerous teams, including the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and even the Miami Heat. However, he ultimately chose the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, he will get to play with his former Thunder teammate Paul George, as well as Kawhi Leonard.

Russell Westbrook Co-Signed

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers passes the ball as Naji Marshall #8 of the New Orleans Pelicans defends during the second half at the Smoothie King Center on February 04, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

According to Brian Windhorst via RealGM, the Los Angeles Clippers actually needed to be convinced in order to sign Russ. They had no interest in doing it until Paul George stepped in. From there, the rest was history as Westbrook looks to make his Clippers debut soon. “The Clippers are pretty much admitting Paul George drove this decision,” Windhorst said. “And from what I understand, they were internally against it at the start. Paul pushed for it publicly and privately. Kawhi {Leonard} supported it. And they looked more into it, and they were like ‘Well, you know, there are some things he can potentially help us with.’”

Needless to say, Westbrook got a very lucky break here. Overall, this could prove to be a great fit for him. However, if this goes bad, then his future is going to be up in the air. Hopefully, he can change the narratives that are now being cast on him. Let us know how you think Westbrook will fit in, down in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.

[Via]

Anthony Davis Has Interesting Reaction To Russell Westbrook Signing

by

Anthony Davis is one of the best players in the league when he is healthy. Over the past two seasons, he, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook could have been a big three. However, they weren’t exactly cut out for each other. Of course, we know what AD and LeBron are capable of. Although, when it came to Russ, it was very clear that he didn’t fit in with the team. As a result, we were hit with some pretty pathetic basketball. The fans in Los Angeles ended up turning on Russ, and the rest was history. Consequently, he was traded at the deadline.

Since then, Russ has been bought out by the Utah Jazz. This allowed Russ to become a free agent who could go anywhere he wants. In the end, he decided to remain in Los Angeles, albeit with the Clippers. This is great news for the Clippers, who desperately needed a point guard. Furthermore, it reinvigorates the battle of Los Angeles, as Westbrook can go on a revenge tour of sorts. As for the actual players on the Lakers, they do not seem to care about this new development.

Anthony Davis Reacts

While speaking to the media about Russ going to the Clippers, AD didn’t have much to say. As you will see, he isn’t even sure how Westbrook will help the team. “I’m not part of that team. I have no idea what their locker room is like, what their chemistry is like,” Davis said. “Honestly, I don’t really watch the Clippers like that… I got three kids. I don’t have time to.” From there, AD gave a bit more of a fleshed-out answer, noting that the Clippers were a team in need of a point guard. However, Davis still doesn’t know how it will work out for them. “I know they got rid of John (Wall) and Reggie (Jackson), so he’s another point guard for them,” Davis noted. “I’m not sure how [coach Tyronn Lue] will utilize him, but I’m pretty sure he’s happy to stay in LA.”

Overall, it is going to be interesting to track the Clippers, moving forward. They are a team that has a lot of pressure to succeed. Now, Russ will be inheriting that pressure which could go very badly. No matter what, it is going to be a lot of fun to watch. Stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world.

[Via]

JJ Redick Gives Brutally Honest Assessment Of Russell Westbrook Signing

by

JJ Redick has quickly become one of the best NBA analysts out there. Overall, there aren’t a lot of people telling it like it is like Redick. He is someone who actually played the game, and he has some great takes. Moreover, he has become a rising star on First Take. He is always getting into arguments with Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo. These clips always seem to go viral, and for the most part, fans take Redick’s side.

Additionally, Redick has his very own podcast where he is able to react to NBA news as it happens. On Monday, Redick was quick to give his opinion on Russell Westbrook, who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Overall, Redick was very honest about the signing, saying it isn’t the best fit. However, Redick wasn’t fully negative. He made sure to say that Russ brings great energy and he could very well help the Clippers in a playoff series.

JJ Redick Speaks

“I think there’s a way that he makes an impact, I don’t know if it’s him playing 30 or 35 minutes a night with Kawhi and PG at this point in his career,” Redick said. “Do I think he’s going to make an impact? Yeah. I was actually having a conversation with somebody on Saturday. We were talking about him going to the Clippers. I could see him, especially come playoffs, winning a playoff game. Where he just comes in, he’s a madman, he’s running around, he’s grabbing loose balls, getting rebounds, taking into transition, attacking the rim, 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists, in 24 minutes. They win a game. Turns the series around.”

At this point, there is no telling what version of Russ we will be getting. As Redick explained, the days of Russ getting starter minutes could be over. That said, the Clippers have needed a point guard for a while, and Westbrook is definitely a great choice. As always, let us know what you think of Redick’s remarks, in the comments down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

[Via]

Paul George Speaks Out On Russell Westbrook Signing

by

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are a duo that hasn’t played a whole lot of basketball together. Leonard has dealt with a ton of injuries over the years, while George has had to carry the roster. Overall, when healthy, these two have the potential to run the NBA. However, they certainly need just a bit of help as the Western Conference has gotten a whole lot better over the last few months. In fact, their biggest issue has been at the point guard position where they have gone through numerous players.

Over the past few weeks, there have been rumblings that George would be getting a new teammate. The teammate in question was none other than Russell Westbrook. Russ was in the midst of trade rumors, so it made sense. Moreover, George and Russ have played together, and PG has always shown love to the former Thunder superstar. Well, the Lakers traded Russ which subsequently led to the Jazz buying him out. Yesterday, Russ revealed to the world that he intended to sign with the Clippers. Now, the reunion is complete.

Paul George Reacts

Following this big news, there were plenty of graphics made that depicted Russ in a Clippers jersey. As it turns out, this excited George greatly as he shared one of these images on his Instagram story. In the image above, you can see that George wrote “Let’s Go!!!” Consequently, it is now clear that Paul George is absolutely excited to have this new teammate on board. There is no telling how Russ will do in a Clippers jersey, although he promises to be better than his stint with the Lakers. As we all know, Lakers Russ was one of the more disappointing players we have ever seen.

Russ will get to face off against his former team, the Lakers, on April 5th. This will be near the end of the regular season, and it should make for some compelling basketball. Hopefully, Westbrook can get back on track and change the narratives surrounding him. Let us know what you think of the Westbrook signing, in the comments down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the basketball world.

[Via]

Skip Bayless Rips Clippers For Russell Westbrook Signing

by

Skip Bayless is someone who is incredibly harsh on a lot of athletes. There are some people that he hates a whole lot more than others, and it rubs people the wrong way. Overall, Bayless is still able to secure big ratings for his show Undisputed, which he co-hosts with Shannon Sharpe. Over the years, this show has proven to be a winner for Bayless. Although he gets into some fights with Shannon, there is no doubt that these two have a ton of on-camera chemistry. They have been doing this for almost seven years, and fans hope it goes on even longer.

One of the athletes that Bayless has ripped over the years is Russell Westbrook. In fact, Bayless has been particularly harsh on Russ this season. This is mostly due to his poor play on the Los Angeles Lakers. Although Russ is now off of the Lakers, he has even more reason to go after him. Overall, this is because Westbrook is signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. As a Kawhi stan, Bayless cannot stand this signing.

Skip Bayless Goes Off

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO: Before the season, not in my wildest nightmares could I have imagined Russell Westbrook moving from the Lakers to the Clippers. Now the Lakers are better and the Clippers worse. The Clippers fell into the same trap LeBron did. Russ: MORE TROUBLE THAN HE’S WORTH,” Bayless wrote. “The problem with Russell Westbrook is he still believes he’s a SUPERSTAR. No player is more delusional about who he currently is. No player lives in his past more. Now the Clippers are saying to the Lakers, ‘Watch US make it work with Russ.’ No you won’t.”

Bayless was not finished as he continued to call Russ names like “Westbrick.” Moreover, he tried to say that there is no possibility in which Kawhi Leonard is happy with the signing. Overall, Skip has no idea what goes on in the Clippers’ locker room. That said, this is one of those NBA moves that will haunt the Undisputed star, forever. Let us know what you think of this signing for the Clippers, in the comments below.

Bayless Continues

[Via]