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WATCH: Russell Westbrook Discusses Growing Up as a Los Angeles Lakers Fan

Published 10/16/2021, 7:30 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Finally, after leaving California in 2008, Russell Westbrook again found his lost land in the name of the Los Angeles Lakers. It took him 13 long years to grab hold of the team of his dreams. Well, better late than never.

The brick of Russ to LA got laid when he left Houston on negative grounds. So even while performing at the highest level in Washington, it was obvious that his next stop was somewhere bigger. And that moment soon came with Rob Pelinka knocking the doors.

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Russell Westbrook and his long-term Lakers fandom

The Long Beach native found his Eureka moment in the first week of August 2021 when the Lakers came calling. In his documentary full of rare clips and exclusive interviews, the 32-YO Russell Westbrook revealed how much he loved Jerry Buss’s organization growing up.

In a snippet, the 9x All-Star revealed, “It was like crazy… Trying to figure out everything being back home. But only thing I could think about was, like growing up in LA, watching the Lakers, Kobe…” 

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Back in 2012, Russ was on the OKC team that had defeated Kobe Bryant’s Lakers 4-1 in the Western Conference Semis. Although Kevin Durant had shined in that series, it was Russ’s 27 points in game 1 that had awarded them a 119-90 blowout win.

Later in the interview, Russ added, “All those memories and all those things coming back to play, kinda come back full circles. Just the opportunity in itself, obviously was big for everybody else, but internally for myself, our family, we’re very grateful.”

WATCH: Lakers’ Russell Westbrook Slaps an Adult Fan’s Hands While Giving Away His Shoes to a Younger Fan

Russ shared the cons of living in LA

In a recent interview with comic talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, Russell Westbrook revealed how there are certain cons attached to this trade. The University of California alumni revealed how arranging tickets for his known people is the least of his concerns. He agreed that those special arrangements are limited for his parents, wife, brother, and kids. 

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Although, he did reveal the worst part of it. The man of the hour expressed, “my phone doesn’t stop ringing, that’s the worst part. Everyday is something… birthday party, it’s an event, an appearance…” 

But everything aside, once the season starts, Russ will be all-in. He will deliver for his city & his fans and that came evident with his 18-point performance against the Kings. 

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So are you, as a Laker fan, excited for Russ’s documentary and his upcoming games? Help us know in the comments section below. 

Watch this story: Russell Westbrook and Other NBA Stars Who Dazzled at the Met Gala 2021

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh

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Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.
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