Nowadays, most people harp on Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers and his inconsistency on the floor.
Westbrook has always had issues and has been clunky at times but he took it to a whole new level during his first year with the Lakers.
Westbrook’s output was so frustrating, in fact, that some people forgot how great he used to be.
I feel like everyone is forgetting how dominant Westbrook used to be… 👀 pic.twitter.com/OhXJ9KWk35
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) October 18, 2022
A quick look back at his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder shows that Westbrook used to be a player like few others.
During elimination games in the NBA playoffs, Westbrook put up 47 points, 45 points, and then 46 points within a two-year span.
That shows a sort of fight and aggression and determination that is somehow lacking lately in LA.
Will he find that deep well of grit inside him again in the new year?
What Happened To Westbrook?
Most players experience some level of diminished skills as they get older, that’s only natural.
However, Westbrook’s problems are startling because they became so prominent once he came to Los Angeles.
The things that were nagging issues before became huge problems that couldn’t be avoided any longer.
Some people have said that Westbrook will get it together during his second year with the Lakers.
They claim that he just needed time to adjust to his role on the team and he would soon look like his old self.
But will he?
The questions remain: is Westbrook a right fit for the Lakers?
Does he work in any lineup alongside LeBron James?
Can he really perform like a team player?
A bunch of questions are swirling around Westbrook as the new season kicks off and he will look to answer them in the next few weeks and months.
NEXT: The Lakers Give A Definitive Dennis Schroder Update