Shaquille O’Neal, Who Once Slapped Kobe Bryant After Verbal Exchange, Gives Unexpected Take on Patrick Beverly-Russell Westbrook Beef

Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley gave way to one of the most heated on-court beefs in recent times. Fans were taken aback when the Los Angeles Lakers added Beverley to their roster, allowing him to join forces with “Brodie.”

Many were left wondering how will the franchise manage the two personalities. When fans saw Beverley donning the purple and gold, they thought the two may get along after years of animosity. Shaquille O’Neal, notably, believes that the team’s new addition can help Westbrook rebound from the ruins of last season.

Shaq expressed on ‘The Big Podcast’ that Beverley’s outspoken demeanor will assist Westbrook in establishing a foothold and reaching the level he is capable of.

“Pat Bev is gonna help Russ get back close to the level that he was at cause he’s gonna hold him accountable,” the Hall of Famer noted. “When you shoot off the side of the backboard, someone needs to get you, ‘Look, hey man, what you are you doing?‘”, he added.

The Lakers veteran discussed how on-court beef seldom translates into personal beef. He expressed that instead of focusing on the beef, Beverley will be focused on bettering the team. While LeBron James is the team’s leader and would likely lead by example, Shaq believes the Lakers’ newcomer will be a vocal leader in the squad.

Shaquille O’Neal knows a thing or two about beefing with teammates, given that his feud with Kobe Bryant is one of the most talked-about topics in NBA history. In fact, after a verbal exchange, the big man even slapped the ‘Black Mamba’ during a pick-up in 1998. Despite this, the tandem pushed each other to be better every day and together led the Lakers to three consecutive championships.

The Lakers will be hoping that the Russell Westbrook-Patrick Beverley dynamic works right away

Last season was undoubtedly a disaster for the Los Angeles Lakers. In the previous off-season, a number of additions were made in the hopes of making a run at the title. However, everything went downhill as the team failed to make the playoffs. In fact, the Lakers failed to qualify for the Play-In tournament too. And new recruit Russell Westbrook didn’t have the finest time as a Laker, therefore he was eventually blamed by many for the team’s poor performances.

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Shaq believes Beverley may have the ability to unleash the elite Westbrook that NBA fans have come to expect. While he will bring energy to the floor, his vocal leadership in the locker room will certainly be equally important. Furthermore, Westbrook himself will be aiming to get out of the mud as soon as possible.

The Lakers will be hoping that the two’s newfound camaraderie and rapport translate onto the hardwood. They will have a difficult challenge in the season opener against the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors. However, Westbrook and Beverley will hope to do wonders for their team right off the bat.

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How do think the Lakers will fare next season? Let us know in the comments section below.