Westbrook gives context to viral huddle video

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- After respective videos went viral making it look Russell Westbrook was intentionally distancing himself from teammates during the Los Angeles Lakers' preseason nonaccomplishment to the Minnesota Timberwolves connected Wednesday, Westbrook offered discourse to debunk immoderate signs of discord.

In 1 video, changeable connected a telephone by Instagram idiosyncratic Michael Morales from a spot located down the Lakers' bench, Westbrook is seen greeting teammates adjacent the foul enactment during subordinate introductions and past moving to the seat alone, portion the Lakers huddled up.

"Pregame, I've been doing that since I've been successful the league for years, man," Westbrook said aft signifier Thursday. "I deliberation they conscionable chopped the video and evidently the net is going to instrumentality it and tally with immoderate they request to tally with. But, I've been doing the aforesaid ritual since I've been successful the league."

Westbrook's wife, Nina, responded to a Twitter idiosyncratic that showed respective photos and videos of Westbrook so pursuing the aforesaid solo pregame ritual connected different teams he's played for by writing,

Smh... and it begins...

Another video, clipped from the ESPN telecast and shared wide connected Twitter, showed Patrick Beverley gathering his teammates for an on-court huddle pursuing a foul by Westbrook aboriginal connected successful the 3rd 4th and Westbrook lining up successful rebounding presumption extracurricular the lane to await the Wolves' escaped propulsion attempts, alternatively than articulation in.

However different video space from the aforesaid series from the Spectrum SportsNet broadcast of the game, gives a broader presumption of the concatenation of events that preceded Beverley beckoning him to articulation in.

First, Westbrook engaged successful a dialog with the referee that made the telephone and past helium turned his attraction to the Lakers' seat to sermon the antiaircraft possession with L.A.'s coaching staff. Beverley ne'er caught his attention.

"As acold arsenic the different video, I was really talking to the coaches and they chopped that video successful fractional arsenic well," Westbrook said. "I was talking to the coaches astir a missed coverage. So, I don't wage nary caput to it, man.

"Honestly I'm conscionable trying to vie and bash my job. Everything, videos, get nitpicked. You tin chopped immoderate video and marque thing you privation retired of it. It's not up to maine to beryllium capable to justice that. I cognize I'm a genuine squad player. I've ne'er had a occupation being with my teammates truthful I'm going to proceed doing what I've been doing."

Beverley told reporters connected Thursday that helium was unaware the video of the attempted huddle existed until helium was asked astir it aft practice.

"If I don't cognize thing happened, past I can't truly code thing that I don't cognize happened," Beverley said.

Westbrook has been a people of frustrated Lakers fans ever since the squad acquired successful a commercialized with the Washington Wizards successful the summertime of 2021, arsenic L.A. missed the playoffs past play with his uneven play adding to a full big of squad struggles that included pervasive injuries and underwhelming relation subordinate contributions.

Despite the hard campaign, Westbrook opted into the last twelvemonth of his declaration to enactment successful L.A. and caller manager Darvin Ham has vowed to get much retired of the erstwhile league MVP this season.

While Westbrook expressed dismay with however fans had started to mock his household sanction by referring to him arsenic "West-brick" past season, the 13-year seasoned said Thursday that the scrutiny helium faces arsenic a subordinate of the Lakers doesn't disagree from the spotlight he's been nether successful different spots since entering the NBA.

"That's been the aforesaid for me, honestly man, done my career," Westbrook said. "I'm precise utilized to it. And I'm precise accustomed to it. That's wherefore I've conscionable been blessed and thankful to beryllium capable to proceed to play each twelvemonth and support my caput down and proceed competing. And immoderate comes with the other stuff, comes with it. It's not up to maine to beryllium capable to marque videos and things for the internet. I conscionable spell retired and bash my job."