Andre Iguodala Explains Why Russell Westbrook Is Playing Like His Usual Self Yet He Gets More Criticism at Lakers Than Rockets, Wizards and Thunder

Russell Westbrook is one of the NBA’s premier stars. As a former MVP who averaged a triple-double twice, Russ’ performances in his career cannot be understated. His efforts to carry OKC in the absence of Kevin Durant, his partnership with James Harden in Houston, and his leadership in Washington are all examples of how he can benefit a team. So it was to everyone’s expectation that his addition to the Lakers would make the team deadly.

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However, that has not been the case. As the Lakers continue to struggle, many have pointed fingers at Westbrook as the reason behind the lack of success. However, some people feel differently about Russ. One of these is Andre Iguodala. He revealed that Russ has not changed his game, but playing for a large organization like the Lakers prevents him from making an impact.

Andre Iguodala on Russell Westbrook

During an episode of the ‘Point Forward’ podcast, Iguodala stated that he was a fan of Russell Westbrook and even reminisced about the days when the duo played with each other as part of Team USA. Thereafter, he spoke about Russ’ career in the NBA and how he has faced criticism on the Lakers.

Iggy explained that Russ is not a ‘detriment’, but rather takes some time to find his rhythm on a team. This is because he isn’t a superstar like KD or Curry, who can play well in any situation. Russ simply needs time to adjust.

“It’s the superstars, and then it’s the normal stars and it’s a very fine line. And it’s not a knock,” said Iggy.

“There’s only 5 superstars in the league. And is it fair to put all this blame or pressure on Russ? This is what he’s been doing his whole career,” explained Iggy on Russ’ stardom and his time to get into a groove.

Thereafter, Iggy explained that playing in smaller markets gave Russ the time to adjust and recover from bad games. However, the Lakers being a large market prevented Russ from getting into a rhythm and recovering from bad games. This is the reason behind the fingers pointed at Westbrook.

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So it’s fair to say that Russ may not have found his rhythm yet on the Lakers. Hence, he may need a change in scenery that allows him time to find his rhythm. Regardless, he is just being himself. It’s the same player that won the MVP and averaged a triple-double twice that the Lakers added. However, it’s the situation that Russ is in that prevents him from putting his best foot forward.