National Basketball Association

Russell Westbrook's marriage with the Lakers could make his legacy whole

Published Jul. 31, 2021 10:52 a.m. ET

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It wouldn't be Hollywood without a little bit of theatrics.

That might be the best way to describe the impending 2021-2022 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers, who once again rocked the league with a blockbuster acquisition, this time landing nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook.

The addition of Westbrook gives the Lakers a formidable trio alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The three players bring not only star power, but proven production to the Lakers this coming season, with the group making up three of the top seven current career points per game leaders in the NBA.

And while all three are sure to be Hall of Famers once they retire, only two-thirds of the trio have won championships.

James is a four-time NBA champion, of course, while Davis captured his first and only championship alongside James in 2020.

Westbrook has yet to experience championship glory, losing to James and the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals when he was with Oklahoma City, his lone trip to the championship round.

In fact, a title is the only thing missing from Westbrook's résumé, and according to Chris Broussard, could be the missing piece in making Westbrook's legacy whole.

He explained why on "First Things First."

"This would be massive for his legacy," Broussard said. "I always have kind of lumped him in with Allen Iverson and to a lesser degree, Pistol Pete Maravich. Great, iconic, legendary players that people will be talking about decades from now for their contribution to the game, but guys who never won it all."

With the championship expectations placed upon the Lakers this coming season, particularly on Westbrook, Stephen A. Smith believes this could be the most pressure Westbrook has ever faced in his career.

He detailed how Westbrook's playoff shortcomings – especially since Kevin Durant left that great Thunder team – add to the pressure on ESPN's "Get Up."

"I don't believe this season that Russell Westbrook will have ever faced more pressure than he is going to face this year. Considering where he's been, what he's been through, and what his life has been like without the services of Kevin Durant as his teammate. Russell Westbrook is going to be under immense pressure."

Westbrook last played alongside Durant in the 2015-2016 season, when they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals.

As teammates, Durant and Westbrook reached the NBA Finals once and the Western Conference finals three times.

Since then, Westbrook has only made it out of the first round of the playoffs one time, as a member of the Houston Rockets in the 2020 postseason.

Now, he has a chance to once again find playoff success – this time in his hometown of Los Angeles.

It could create the perfect ending to his action-packed career.

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National Basketball Association

Los Angeles Lakers

Russell Westbrook

LeBron James

Anthony Davis

Kevin Durant

Chris Broussard

First Things First