National Basketball Association

Russell Westbrook's homecoming ruined as star falls flat in Lakers debut

Updated Oct. 20, 2021 3:36 p.m. ET

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

Russell Westbrook looked down at the ground as he spoke.

His words were clipped. He spoke softly. Disappointment was draped over him like a dark shadow, a stunning contrast to the bright yellow shirt and red pants he donned.

Tuesday was supposed to be Westbrook's shining moment. The local kid from Leuzinger High was making his regular-season debut as a Los Angeles Laker, realizing a moment he had dreamed about as a young kid who used to ditch school to attend Laker championship parades.

He was finally part of the purple and gold. Westbrook's family and friends came to Staples Center to celebrate alongside 19,000 other fans, including Jack Nicholson, Adele and Usher, who sat courtside.

But the bright lights of Los Angeles proved to be blinding. Westbrook's return ended up being a disappearing act.

Westbrook was technically the worst player on the court in the Lakers' 121-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors in their season opener, finishing with the lowest plus-minus rating (-23).

The triple-double king didn't reach double digits in a single category. It took Westbrook more than 15 minutes to get on the scoreboard. He finished with eight points on 4-for-13 shooting, five rebounds and four assists. He missed each of his four 3-point attempts.

He looked timid. At one point, Juan Toscano-Anderson stripped the ball from him as though he were a rookie instead of a pro in his 14th season. Westbrook was about as un-Westbrook-like as we've ever seen.

After the game, LeBron James and Anthony Davis sat next to him in the locker room and tried to console him.

"I told Russ to go home and watch a comedy," said James, who had a game-high 34 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. "Do something that can put a smile on his face. I told him, ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s one game.’"

Davis, however, deeply understood how Westbrook felt. He acknowledged that he was similarly upset after his first game alongside James in 2019, when he shot 8-for-21 from the field against the LA Clippers.

Even though Davis had 25 points and nine rebounds in his Lakers debut two years ago, he didn't feel as though he played like himself. He deferred to James. He was awed by the lore of the Lakers, including the then-16 NBA championship banners that hung above his head.

"You come here, you see everybody courtside, the lights are brighter than most arenas," Davis said. "You look at the rafters. There’s a lot that goes on."

That night, James knew exactly what to say to Davis to cheer him up.

"I sat next to LB, he looked at me, and he said, ‘You’re fine. This is Game 1,'" Davis recalled. "He’s laughing. He’s joking on the phone. And I’m like, ‘Why am I upset then?’ And I kind of just went with the flow.

"It’s the same thing with Russ. And I told him the same thing. ‘I’m the same way you were.’ We said some things to him, and he smiled, so I expect him to be better in the game Friday."

Westbrook might have cracked a smile for his superstar teammates, who combined for 67 points and 19 rebounds Tuesday. But he didn't temper his deep disappointment in front of the media.

When asked about James and Davis attempting to pump him up, he uttered two words: "We talked."

When questioned about how he needs to navigate playing his game while trying to fit in alongside James and Davis, he splurged with two sentences.

"I just got to figure it out," he said. "That’s all."

It definitely wasn't the night Westbrook envisioned. The Klay Thompson-less Warriors beat the Lakers on their home court, despite Steph Curry shooting an uncharacteristic 5-for-21 from the field.

Westbrook knew this loss was on him. He has to do better.

When he didn't play well during the preseason, he dismissed any concerns about his turnovers as meaningless, pointing out that he never shines in those games.

But the time for excuses is over. The Lakers need Westbrook to be the aggressive, intelligent and unstoppable floor general who has earned nine All-Star appearances and an MVP award in 2017. His teammates assured him that they believe he will morph back into that guy soon.

As bad as Westbrook's debut was, if he plays well Friday, then Tuesday will be nothing but a blip in the overall scheme of things.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.