Patrick Beverley thinks he knows who ‘killed’ Russell Westbrook’s game

Russell Westbrook has suddenly received a ton of love from the NBA world after he announced his retirement last week. This is quite the turnaround for Westbrook, who was one of the most polarizing and divisive players among fans during his playing days. But as the old adage goes, you never know what you have until it’s gone, and Westbrook is now getting so much praise for the way he wore his heart on his sleeve every time he took the court.

Westbrook’s retirement announcement felt sudden. He’s only 37 years of age, and his superstar peers, such as Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Stephen Curry, just to name a few, are still playing at a high enough level. There was certainly still room for him on an NBA roster, but he decided to go out on his own terms.

But for old rival turned former teammate Patrick Beverley, one crucial turning point in Westbrook’s career proved to be the beginning of the end.

“I think it all turned when he went to the Lakers and left. I think he had a cloud over his head that was dark. Teams didn’t know if he was a team player. Teams didn’t know if he was a good locker room guy,” Beverley said on the newest episode of the “Pat Bev Show”, via Basketnews.

Beverley also blamed the media for portraying Westbrook in a negative light over the past few years, which undoubtedly affected the way NBA teams looked at the former MVP.

“I felt like he had a lot of game left. I feel like he played really well last season. I think the media killed his game. I’m going to be honest. I think the media is so strong that it allowed fans to call him names and have opinions about his game, which also forced team owners, GMs, and presidents to look at him a certain way,” Beverley added.

Westbrook did show that he can adjust to being a role player during his time with the Denver Nuggets in 2025. But contending teams just didn’t see the value in bringing Westbrook in, and that’s what drove his decision to put an end to his NBA career.

At the very least, Westbrook is surely going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is the least recognition his illustrious career deserves.

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