Report: Russell Westbrook would ‘push back’ when called out during Lakers film sessions last season

By Jonathan Sherman
Updated: July 20, 2022

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Though Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook appears dedicated to trying to make it work with the team and his teammates, a recent report indicates that the former MVP was somewhat combative during certain film sessions during the 2021-22 NBA season.

According to Jovan Buha, who relayed the information on “The Athletic NBA Show,” Westbrook didn’t like being the center of attention while reviewing tape.

“From stuff I heard last season, like during film sessions, he would you know push back on stuff that was very obvious of like, ‘Hey, you missed this defensive rotation,'” Buha relayed. “He did not like being the center of attention in those film sessions.”

Given what is known about Westbrook as a competitor and player, it’s not all that shocking that he didn’t enjoy when his performances were brought into question.

One of his greatest strengths throughout his career has been his seemingly bottomless well of confidence on the court. However, as Westbrook has begun to lose a step in recent years, that confidence has become a detriment to himself and his teammates.

Last season, Westbrook had a lot of issues trying to augment his playing style to match the strengths of his teammates. It was that inability to change his approach to the game that led to him becoming a scapegoat.

While he did struggle in his first season with the Lakers, he was far from the only reason the 2021-22 season was a debacle for the storied franchise. Anthony Davis was rarely available due to injury, and a number of other players also missed time throughout the season.

Now, the Lakers seem dedicated to trying to trade Westbrook to another team. However, it currently seems as though the former MVP has no market whatsoever.

In the end, the Lakers may have to enter the 2022-23 regular season with Westbrook on the roster. If that comes to pass, he’ll likely get a chance to redeem himself. If he fails to learn from what went wrong last season, however, it seems unrealistic to expect much to change.