Russell Westbrook’s retirement has sparked a fresh debate about the legacy of one of the NBA’s most polarizing stars. Time and again, analysts and former players have come to his defense as he’s taken the blame for his teams’ struggles. Now, a former champion who had a front-row seat to the era is explaining why the criticism may have overshadowed everything Russ accomplished.
“I’ve always wondered why people went at him the way that they did,” Antonio Daniels said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “He became the blame of a lot. He was to blame for why Oklahoma City never got back to the NBA Finals. He was the blame in what happened with the Lakers and why it didn’t work with LeBron James, like just that whole fiasco. He became the blame for a lot of different things.
“Is he a perfect player? By no stretch of the imagination, but you know what, there isn’t one. No perfect player exists. But I thought Russell Westbrook caught a lot more flak, much more flak than he deserved.”
Russell Westbrook announced his retirement on Wednesday, August 12, in a video he posted to Instagram and shared on X. The clip featured narration by Michael B. Jordan.
Former NBA player and analyst Antonio Daniels has long defended Russell Westbrook against the criticism surrounding his game. He had pushed back against the idea that Westbrook’s relentless style and historic triple-double numbers were simply empty statistics, arguing that his impact went far beyond the box score.
As a Thunder analyst for Fox Sports Oklahoma, Daniels had firsthand experience watching Russell Westbrook take over the NBA.
He previously had said, “I remember going to war with people when I was in OKC about Russell Westbrook and the triple-double. When he triple-doubles, they win 75% of the time.”
Not just him, but even former Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George previously defended his teammate. In 2023 February, after he secured a buyout and was waived by the Utah Jazz, the Clippers added him to their roster. But the team started with a 0-5 run. But George later stated that Russ was not the problem.
“And so of course it was quick for everyone to try to blame Russ for it, which was stupid because Russ honestly was playing unbelievable. Like elite. So it was tough to go through it while we were struggling with getting wins.”
George also added that because of Russell Westbrook, the team was getting the easiest baskets they had gotten in a long time. Even the Lakers’ situation didn’t help in Russ’ career. LeBron James and Anthony Davis personally recruited the former MVP in the summer of 2021.
But championship expectations dwindled even faster as constant role changes left a roster that never quite fit together. While it was never one person’s fault, Russell Westbrook took the majority of the blame.
That’s why when Russ announced his retirement after 18 seasons, Daniels made sure to celebrate the career.
Reacting to the news, the former champion said, “What can we say about his career? Amazing. One of the best point guards to ever pick up a basketball. And nobody saw this coming when he was coming out of UCLA. Nobody saw this coming. You know, he’s a family man, children, wife, big time family man. This gives him the time that he needs with his family, where he can still walk away and be healthy, right? And now enjoy life post-NBA. Good for him.”
Now that Russell Westbrook has drawn the curtains on his NBA career, Daniels is among those who don’t want any sour memories associated with the announcement.
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The post “He Became the Blame of a Lot”: NBA Champion Reveals the Harsh Truth About Russell Westbrook’s Career After His Retirement appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.