Russell Westbrook, known for his explosive athleticism and scoring prowess on the basketball court, has often faced a lack of appreciation for his talents. Throughout his career, he has moved to multiple teams, but it’s his time with the Los Angeles Lakers that left a lingering impression. Despite consistently delivering triple-doubles in previous seasons, his statistics experienced a decline when he donned the Lakers jersey. During his two-year tenure with the Lakers, Westbrook struggled to find his rhythm, averaging 17.4 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, he became the focal point of criticism for the team’s struggles during that period.

However, Westbrook’s fortunes took a positive turn when he found a new home with the LA Clippers. Since then, he has been posting impressive numbers after a prolonged period of challenges. NFL legend Shannon Sharpe has weighed in on Westbrook’s Lakers stint, offering his perspective on why it didn’t work out, while also taking a subtle jab at the player.

Shannon Sharpe takes a slight jab at Russell Westbrook

Last season, Russell Westbrook inked a two-year contract with the LA Clippers, worth $7.9 million – a substantial reduction from his previous $47 million salary. Despite the significant pay cut, he is playing relatively well with the Clippers. However, Shannon Sharpe has one issue with this. “I’m happy that he’s playing, but there’s a difference between playing well for 4 million and playing so so for 91 million. You have to understand when you’re making 91 million, and you play for the Lakers, there’s a different level of expectation that comes along,” said Sharpe.

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Additionally, he goes on to explain that Westbrook’s struggles on the court can be attributed to the immense pressure that accompanies wearing the iconic Purple and Gold Lakers jersey. The Lakers fanbase, renowned for their championship aspirations, places a paramount emphasis on winning titles rather than individual accolades. According to the football legend, LeBron James embraced this understanding, while Westbrook’s inability to fully comprehend it was a significant factor in the challenge he faced while fitting in with the team.

Sharpe said, “You look at the pantheon – Magic, Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, West, Chamberlain, Mikan- you know all those guys, and so now the expectation…LeBron found this out. They say we don’t care nothing about them four MVPs you got over there, we don’t care about no three finals MVPs, we don’t care nothing about all the finals you went to. What the h*ll you gonna do in the Purple and Gold?”

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Is there a beef brewing between LeBron and Westbrook?

However, with both stars now settled into their roles in their respective teams, rumors about a potential rift have emerged. In the Lakers’ last outing with the Clippers, James dapped up every member of the team, except for Russ. To be fair, Russ was far away on the other side of the gym. After the pregame “snub”, James orchestrated a nasty block on Russ to help his team make a comeback. This led to speculations about a potential beef brewing between the former teammates.

However, James dispelled the rumors in the post-game interview. He said, “It’s always great to compete against the best and Kawhi, PG and Russ are three of the best this game has ever seen”. What are your thoughts on Shannon Sharpe’s comments? Let us know.

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