Russell Westbrook was not feeling LeBron James during his tenure with the\u00a0 Los Angeles Lakers.<\/p>\n
Yaron Weitzman<\/a>, author of \u201cA Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers,<\/a>\u201d shared in an excerpt from his book that Westbrook and James grew tired of one another.<\/p>\n According to Weitzman, Westbrook\u2019s relationship with James quickly deteriorated when he arrived for the 2021-22 season. While many soon saw that Westbrook\u2019s style of play did not mesh well with James, behind the scenes, Westbrook allegedly described <\/a>James as \u201cfake.\u201d<\/p>\n He’d seen all the examples of LeBron seemingly misrepresenting himself, the excerpt read. \u201cThere was the time LeBron claimed that \u201cThe Godfather\u201d was his favorite movie, but then failed to recall a single line when asked during a press conference to name one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere was the time he carried The Autobiography of Malcolm X into a media session but stumbled when asked to name his biggest takeaway,\u201d the excerpt continued. \u201cThere was the time during an interview when he claimed that, the night Kobe scored 81 points, he’d predicted beforehand that he’d go for 70, a clip so widely mocked that it became a popular meme.”<\/p>\n Another example Weitzman pointed out was a team session with Will Smith.<\/p>\n When Smith arrived for the event, James and Davis left the room. Westbrook was told by teammate Patrick Beverley that James and Davis “can do whatever the f— they want.\u201d But everyone else on the team had to more or less stay in line.<\/p>\n Eventually, James and Davis returned to the room and greeted Smith. James reportedly became interested in Smith’s talk, asking several questions, which caused the meeting to go over time.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate that fake s\u2014,\u201d Westbrook later told a teammate, according to Weitzman. \u201cI just can\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n In February, Westbrook was traded<\/a> to the Jazz, bringing his time with the Lakers to an end. Reportedly, his relationship with James has never been the same.<\/p>\n