“Russ is gonna take a swing at Skip and end up hitting Shannon”, “Skip bout to put Wilt Chamberlain numbers on next show” - Fans hilariously react to Russell Westbrook’s defiant response to Skip Bayless calling him “Westbrick”
Russell Westbrook didn't mince words when responding to Skip Bayless for calling him "Westbrick" on Twitter. His response came after Bayless fired shots at him in a tweet about the Lakers' draft pick.
The LA Lakers selected Michigan State's Max Christie in Thursday's draft. Christie is a work-in-progress and needs to improve his efficiency from long range. Bayless wasn't impressed with the Lakers for picking the MSU guard with their second-round pick and took to Twitter to express his frustration.
"Lakers acquire a 2nd-round pick, take Michigan State's Max Christie, who shot only 32% from 3 last season. Perfect! He'll fit right in with LeBron and Westbrick."
Bayless took a swipe at Westbrook and LeBron James, who aren't known for being efficient 3-point shooters in their careers. Both players do most of their damage inside the paint. This led to the duo being a misfit alongside each other last campaign.
The LA Lakers lacked spacing on offense, as they only had a few reliable shooters on the team. As such, many believed they should've acquired an efficient shooter in the draft.
Skip Bayless has been critical of Russell Westbrook for a long time and the Lakers guard didn't hold back this time. He decided to respond to the Fox Sports analyst in a bold manner. The former MVP wrote:
"Yoooo… watch your mouth. Don’t say anything here you wouldn’t say to my face."
As always, NBA fans did not miss out on the opportunity to poke fun at the budding feud between the two.
One fan reacted by saying:
“Russ is gonna take a swing at Skip and end up hitting Shannon”
Another wrote:
“Skip bout to put Wilt Chamberlain numbers on the next show”
Here are some of the other reactions to their altercation:
Former and current NBA players show support for Russell Westbrook in his altercation with Skip Bayless
A number of former and current players came out in support of Westbrook following his verbal war with Skip Bayless.
Former OKC Thunder teammate Paul George posted an Instagram story, captioning it:
"Real s**t"
Meanwhile, Richard Jefferson referenced Skip Bayless' comments, sharing his opinion on the situation. He labeled it as one of the reasons behind players entering the media space to shut down critics. Jefferson wrote on Twitter:
"Y’all wondering why former players are coming in to the media space with a chip on their shoulders. They tired of this."
Former player Eddie A. Jones launched a scathing attack on Bayless, claiming the Fox Sports analyst makes comments while hiding in a studio.
Russell Westbrook has been at the center of heavy criticism over the past few months. His underwhelming displays contributed to the Lakers failing to make the playoffs.
Westbrook will be determined to shut down his critics once the new season begins. He will look to evolve his game under new head coach Darvin Ham and help the Lakers have a successful season.