Russell Westbrook said he was joining a “championship-caliber” team with the Los Angeles Lakers and knew it would be his responsibility to partner with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the NBA’s final super team.
Westbrook was officially introduced as a member of the Lakers at Staples Center on Tuesday alongside coach Frank Vogel and general manager Rob Pelinka.
Los Angeles acquired the star point guard from the Washington Wizards in a hit deal first reported on NBA Draft night and finalized at the start of the league’s new year.
The Lakers also received three future second-round picks from Washington while sending Wizards goaltender Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, forwards Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma and draft rights for forward Isaiah Jackson.
Westbrook, who in his one season with the Wizards set the NBA record for career triple doubles (184), is known as a dominating goalie. The 2016-17 NBA MVP with the Oklahoma City Thunder was asked how he plans to share playmaking duties with James.
“As you know Bron is one of the best players to play this game, and his ability to be able to do anything on the pitch just makes me understand,” said Westbrook, 32. noted.
“I come on a championship caliber team and my job is to make sure I am able to make his game easy for him. I’ll find ways to do it throughout the game.
“As far as handling the ball and all that doesn’t really matter. There are many different ways to impact the game without having the ball in my hands, and I have been able to do that for many years and will find out. “
Westbrook is originally from Southern California and played college for UCLA. He grew up rooting for the Lakers and went on to forge a friendship with the late Kobe Bryant – a relationship he says “hasn’t left my head” since Bryant’s untimely death in 2020.
“It will be with me every time I put on that Laker jersey,” Westbrook said Tuesday.
Pelinka said two things come to mind when he talks about Westbrook.
“One is that he is one of the most appreciated, respected and loved players in the league by the players he has played with,” Pelinka said.
“He’s an incredible leader, and when you talk to teammates from the other franchises he’s played for, a man, the information you get is he’s one of the great teammates that they’ve played with. . … And then the second point is that I think he’s an elite class of players in terms of a competitive nature. “
