Russell Westbrook may have a lot of detractors because of his style of play on the field, but almost everyone can agree that the Denver Nuggets The goalie commands respect for his amiable demeanor off the court. On Wednesday night, Westbrook received a warm welcome from the crowd at Crypto.com Arena — the home court of his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers — during the Los Angeles Sparks clash against the best team in the WNBA at the moment, the New York Liberty.
Westbrook was enjoying a moment with his twin daughters, Skye and Jordin, when the arena’s jumbotron captured the Nuggets guard during the “Look Who’s There Cam” segment. The Nuggets guard then received plenty of cheers and applause as he and his daughters waves to the crowd.
Russell Westbrook is a proud father of a daughter, and what better way to do so? Nuggets goalie introduces his daughters to the game of basketball rather than giving them the opportunity to witness the best of the best — with players like Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Dearica Hamby, among others, all looking to entertain a raucous crowd at Crypto.com Arena.
It’s also great to see Westbrook get this kind of welcome on the Lakers court. As everyone remembers, the 2017 NBA MVP had arguably the worst stretch of his career with the Lakers, as he, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis struggled throughout the 2021-22 season and missed the playoffs entirely as a result.
Even today, some Lakers fans still hold a grudge against Westbrook for failing to live up to expectations while wearing the purple and gold jersey. But it’s important to note that Crypto.com Arena was also the home of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Westbrook, while not having the best end to his time with the Clippers, is beloved by fans of that team.
Russell Westbrook’s Lakers and Clippers Stints Both End in Heartbreak
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After a historic 2020-21 season in which he coached the mediocre Washington Wizards to the playoffs, the Lakers had high hopes for acquiring Russell Westbrook. However, it turned out to be a major overcorrection. Los Angeles traded away crucial members of its 2020 championship team, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma, in the Westbrook deal, and it immediately blew up in their faces.
Westbrook’s struggles to spread out on the court made him a poor fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Lakers’ decision to reduce their depth to bring in a “third star” made it difficult for them to surround all three quality players. Things got so bad for Westbrook in the Purple and Gold that the team had to demote him to a backup role in his second season with the team before trading him. And after trading him, the The Lakers finally made a run and make it to the Western Conference Finals.
Russell Westbrook did, however, eventually get a new lease on life with the Clippers. The Clippers had more available spot options than the Lakers, and he seemed like a natural fit alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. His willingness to get his hands dirty on defense was a real bonus. He showed in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs that he still had plenty of gas in the tank by fighting as hard as he could after Leonard and George suffered major injuries.
Alas, Westbrook’s stint with the Clippers ended disappointingly; the team replaced him with James Harden and relegated him to an off-ball role, which was a disaster for him in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. The Nuggets, however, are hoping they can get the most out of Westbrook in what appears to be the twilight years of his career.
