Russell Westbrook doesn’t mind not starting for Clippers and says he’ll ‘take all the bullets’ for teammates

Russell Westbrook doesn’t mind not starting for the Clippers anymore, as he rather provide from the bench and fit into whatever formula his coach Tyronn Lue thinks is best. The veteran guard believes that thanks to this attitude, his teammates now look up to him and this way new players like James Harden have more chance of adapting to the team’s game. 

The 35-year-old recently gave an interview to Sports Illustrated, where he not only talked about his current reality in Los Angeles, but also shared some wisdom after 17 years in the NBA.

Through his experience, the Clippers star believes he’s learned the real meaning of sacrifice and is ready to lay it all down for his squad, even if he wants to play differently. His only goal is to help his teammates win the NBA championship.

James Harden beautiful dime to Russell Westbrook for the finish 🥶pic.twitter.com/9M3e0CrSzQ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 21, 2023

“I’ve been in the league so long, I understand the definition of true sacrifice and understanding what that looks like. Sometimes, it might not be how you want it, but if it’s for the betterment of the team, that’s the most important part. This is a team game, and I know the most important goal—that’s to win a championship,” he started out.

Westbrook explained how his presence after so many years in the league allows him to contribute to younger players’ development in the roster, such as Terance Mann and Kobe Brown.

In a way, the nine-time All-Star is taking the initiative to become a “co-coach” for his team on the floor, instead of just sitting and watching the game on the bench. The veteran feels like he’s becoming a big brother figure who pushes his siblings to improve.

“You can’t just lead when you want to. Part of my duty ever since I’ve been in this league is to lead,” he explained. “Regardless of what’s going on, those guys need to learn and understand how important their role is for this team. Any time I get a chance, I try to make sure I’m in their ear, instilling confidence in them, and making sure they understand how important they are. That’s part of my job.”

The 17-year veteran explains why he’s not worrying anymore about the amount of minutes he gets on the floor

Westbrook is showing a side of his maturity we hadn’t seen before, especially not with the Lakers. According to the potential Hall of Famer, he believes it actually shows an important level of security to stop caring about how many minutes he’ll get on the floor.

“I understand my worth and my abilities. No matter how many minutes I’m on the floor, I know that I’m a force of energy. God has blessed me with that ability,” he said.

Despite many fans and experts saying he isn’t able to play alongside James Harden, both proved they are more than able in Wednesday’s win against the Mavericks. Now Russell feels fans enjoy watching him play no matter if he’s a starter or not.

“I want the people who come to the game, whether I’m on the court for five minutes or 20 minutes, it don’t really matter—when I’m on the floor I make sure I compete and give everything I have,” the guard expressed. “I know my duty is to play hard every single night, and make sure the people who come to the game enjoy the time that I’m on the floor.”