"He knows a lot of people are blaming him wrongly for the Lakers’ failures” - Mychal Thompson believes Russell Westbrook is going to bounce back next season, says he will come in with the right attitude
LA Lakers superstar Russell Westbrook is currently gearing up for a pivotal season ahead. He will look to make amends for the shortcomings of last season. With new coach Darvin Ham at the helm, the Lakers hope to fulfill their championship aspirations. On SiriusXM NBA Radio, former Lakers center Mychal Thompson said he expects Westbrook to silence his doubters this season.
"Russ has a lot of pride," Thompson said. "He didn't have his best year last year, and he knows a lot of people are blaming him wrongly for the Lakers failures. But I think Russ is going to come in with the right attitude to prove everybody wrong"
"Darvin Ham, the man's got a lot of respect from everybody, and he's a guy who's not afraid to speak his mind, and I think players like Russell Westbrook and AD and LeBron respect that.
"When you have a strong personality like Darvin Ham. And I think Russell Westbrook is going to fall in line and come back and have a strong season, just to prove all the doubters out there wrong."
Thompson believes that players Westbrook and others will respond well to Darvin Ham as they look to right the ship.
Mychal Thompson is qualified to talk about the pressure of being a member of the Lakers. He helped the franchise win two championships in 1987 and 1988.
"He knows a lot of people are blaming him wrongly for the Lakers failures."
Mychal Thompson sees Russell Westbrook bouncing back for the Lakers this season #LakeShow
@champagnennuts | @adaniels33 | @thegoodshepard_ https://t.co/QQtvlgHhqA
Russell Westbrook's abhorrent debut season for the LA Lakers
Russell Westbrook's return to his native Los Angeles to play for the Lakers alongside LeBron James was viewed as a homecoming. Many expected the Lakers to win a title last season. However, things haven't panned out, with the team being eliminated without making the play-in tournament.
Westbrook finished the season averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. He shot 44.4% from the field and a paltry 29.8% from beyond the arc.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK AT THE DEATH https://t.co/zI4Eycbi1t
Westbrook also averaged 3.8 turnovers a night. The oldest roster in the league struggled to keep up with his pace of play. Westbrook's defense has been shockingly poor this season.
His team is ranked 21st in the league in defense. These factors, coupled with his $44 million salary, made him immovable before the trade deadline. The former OKC Thunder superstar's poor shooting makes pairing him with another ball-dominant star difficult.