In a recent segment on his podcast, 'Gil's Arena' former NBA point guard Gilbert Arenas spoke up in defense of Russell Westbrook. According to Arenas, the disrespect for Westbrook has gotten out of control and he condemns the efforts to discredit his legacy.
"It's weird because it's like they were trying to discredit his triple-doubles because it was too easy for him," said Arenas. "He's changing history and when motherf*****s have heroes it's hard for them to let go sometimes and I think while trying to say 'These stats ain't real' you became disrespectful to the man who was doing it. These same people who are voting [for MVP] got your legacy in their hands, so if you don’t kiss their asses they f*ck with your legacy. And that's the bug problem with sports.”
Russell Westbrook , 35, is on the tail end of his career with the Denver Nuggets . Besides his unfriendly relationship with the media, Westbrook's high-risk play style has made him a controversial figure in the NBA community, and his legacy has not aged well since his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019.
As a former star point guard himself, Gilbert Arenas knows what it's like to be on the hot seat. While he never reached Westbrook's status of greatness, it seems Arenas has developed an appreciation for his game in particular and he's gone to great lengths to defend it.
Even during his prime, Westbrook was never one who played by the rules. He has always challenged his critics and continues to maintain his status as one of the most competitive players in the league. His tough and relentless personality isn't for everyone and it's earned Westbrook a fair number of haters over the years.
Even as a former MVP, 9x All-Star, and 2x scoring leader, people still discredit his achievements to this day and claim that he would pad his stats with meaningless numbers every game. Things only got worse for Westbrook when he was traded to the Lakers in 2021. Westbrook was quickly stripped of his starting role and was likened to a "vampire" in the Lakers' locker room . Worst of all, Russ was labeled as a stat padder for his lack of playoff success .
Westbrook and his camp have obviously denied the accusations and whether you love or hate Westbrook you cannot erase his place in NBA history. He led a post-Durant Thunder team to a solid playoff position in the West while averaging 31.6 points, 10.4 assists, and 10.7 rebounds per game on 45.4% shooting. He was the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over an entire season. Despite claims of stat padding, Westbrook won 78% of his games that season where he completed a triple-double.
While Russ may no longer be the player he once was, people are not going to stand by and let us forget about who he used to be. At one point, he was among the best point guards in the league and the heart and soul of a Thunder team desperate to win their first championship.
His legacy deserves to be celebrated and appreciated by the fans, and it needs to be respected by all those who have followed in his footsteps. Even now, after 16 seasons in the NBA, Westbrook has the heart to go to war with the haters and prove them wrong one play at a time.
Related: Brian Windhorst Says Russell Westbrook Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Shoot Three-Pointers Anymore
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