Russell Westbrook closed an 18-year career with a silent farewell video narrated by Michael B. Jordan. Praises and criticism followed shortly, and a former player then gave his take on why the criticism never left him. <\/p>\n
Jeff Teague reacted on Club 520 to Patrick Beverley\u2019s claim that the media \u201ckilled\u201d Westbrook\u2019s game, and pointed the conversation back to the one constant in that Lakers chapter: LeBron James.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard sometimes when you a superstar; I can\u2019t really speak to that. I\u2019ve never been to them levels, but I could only imagine being a superstar,\u201d Teague said (h\/t) NBA Courtside<\/a>. \u201cWhen he went to the Lakers, Bron was the guy, so somebody got to take the criticism.”<\/p>\n “Anytime you go to LeBron\u2019s team, it\u2019s going to be somebody else that\u2019s getting the criticism even though LeBron gets criticized a whole bunch, but he always plays so well that if you not on his level, people going to start blaming you,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Westbrook arrived in Los Angeles as a former MVP and walked into a team led by James. Teague\u2019s point is that the spotlight around LeBron James is so intense, and his production so consistent, that any co-star who falls short of that standard becomes the easiest target for fans, talk shows, and eventually front offices.<\/p>\n There is a fair reason why Westbrook’s stint with the Lakers alongside James was deemed disastrous. The tactical fit alongside LeBron James, coupled with severe roster-building constraints was one of the main reason’s in Westbrook consistently faltering during that time. Furthermore, besides issues around ball-dominance, Westbrook often struggled with off-ball defense, which drained the team’s overall defensive intensity. <\/p>\n