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Russell Westbrook criticism has officially gone too far

ByJack Simone|
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 27: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on February 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The New Orleans Pelicans won 123-95. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 27: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on February 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The New Orleans Pelicans won 123-95. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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Russell Westbrook criticism has officially gone too far
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: Russell Westbrook holds son Noah Westbrook at his Why Not Zer0.2 sneaker launch on January 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Cassy Athena/Getty Images)

Russell Westbrook criticism has officially gone too far: The reasoning

Russell Westbrook is a human being. Is he having the best season? No. By all accounts, he’s having one of the worst seasons of his professional basketball career.

But that’s the point – it’s a career. Westbrook is a professional basketball player. As in, playing basketball is his job. Making things personal is where the line needs to be drawn.

Let’s say a Subway worked puts tomatoes on your sandwich when you specifically ask for no tomatoes. Are you going to go up to them, call them heinous names, and proceed to attack them on the internet? Of course not.

Now, the obvious difference that most will immediately point out is the money. Subway workers probably make minimum wage, and Westbrook is being paid $44 million a year and underperforming on that contract.

The fact that his salary is even public knowledge is even a weird concept. Usually, it’s frowned upon to ask someone about how much money they make, but NBA players have their salary made available for all to see.

But by all means, criticize him. As Westbrook said in his interview, he accepts the criticism. It is quite literally the job of the media to critique teams and players, and fans are fully entitled to do the same.

There’s a fine line between criticism and slander. Talk about how the Lakers need to change Westbrook’s role, don’t get mad on the internet and start attacking the man’s livelihood.

If you’re mad at Westbrook, talk about it, sure. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and clearly, the popular one is that Westbrook doesn’t fit in with the Lakers. And maybe he doesn’t.

At the end of the day, though, basketball is a game. It’s a childhood game that people get paid millions to play. If your favorite team doesn’t win a championship or make the playoffs, it quite literally does not affect your life in the slightest.

Being upset at a player is totally normal, as fans have grown attached to and root for their favorite teams. But don’t let that feeling turn into you attacking someone.

Criticize Westbrook all you want, but understand the fact that anything past that is taking things a step too far.

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