If there's anyone who knows Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook well, it's former college teammate and Miami Heat big man Kevin Love.
Westbrook and Love played just the 2007-08 season together at UCLA, leading the Bruins to the Final Four. They ultimately fell against Derrick Rose and the Memphis Tigers, but the two were top picks in the NBA Draft and have remained close throughout their respective careers.
Formerly All-Stars in the NBA, Westbrook and Love are now providing boosts for their respective teams off the bench. The two faced off on Monday night when the Clippers hosted the Heat, where Westbrook finished with eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and two assists in 18 minutes of play off the bench. Kevin Love also came off the Heat bench, scoring 17 points and adding four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 23 minutes of play.
In the contest, Westbrook eclipsed 25,000 career points and become one of three players in NBA history to be in top 10 in points and assists all-time.
The Clippers ultimately earned the victory, and Kevin Love was incredibly open about Russell Westbrook after the game.
“I think Russ is one of the most misunderstood guys in the league,” Kevin Love told ClutchPoints. “I know him, I know what he's about at the end of the day. He's somebody who wants to win, he's somebody who is, from what I've experienced, an unbelievable teammate. A guy that wants other people to have success and the best thing about Russ, I think, is he plays every game like it's his last. He truly does.
“As far as competitors in the league, he's still at the very top. Always has been. He's a first ballot Hall-of-Famer, when people look back, they're gonna say, ‘man that guy competed every single night. Never took a night off.' He's special.”
Russell Westbrook approach as a competitor isn't seen often in today's NBA. He doesn't get very friendly when he takes the court, and that's created some confusion regarding his character off the court.
“As a person, to me, I want to make sure that I'm personable to people and just being myself, and I've done that,” Russell Westbrook said back in October. “Now, on the court, yes, I'm not nice. I don't want to be nice, I don't want to be your friend, I don't want to hang out, I don't want to talk. So if that, to people, feels as though I'm a mean guy, I’ll take that. But off the floor, I got no problem doing anything you want to do. I’ll go do whatever. It's a surprise for some people, which is fine, and I'm used to it by now.”
Russell Westbrook on his portrayal:
“On the court, yes, I'm not nice. I don't wanna be nice, be your friend, hang out, wanna talk. If that to people feels like I'm a mean guy, I'll take that. Off the floor, I got no problem doing anything you wanna do.”pic.twitter.com/Q5B1z6kjUd
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 23, 2023
Kevin Love seconded the notion that Russell Westbrook's on-court demeanor is likely a reason he's perceived a certain way or ‘misunderstood.'
“[I think it's] just because of his outward persona,” Love explained to ClutchPoints. “He's such a competitor, he takes no shit, he takes no prisoners, he's a guy who, if he has the opportunity, he's gonna rip your head off and I think that's what Russ has been about since day one. That's why he's had so much success is that a lot of people counted him out early on in his life, in his career, and he just has overcome a lot in his life and in his career and it's been amazing to see.
“I think that in itself, trying to understand him, people get misled a lot. But he's certainly one of one.”
Love and Westbrook, both drafted 15 years ago, likely don't have as many matchups left. Through their January 1st head to head, the two have played 29 games against one another, with Russell Westbrook boasting a 20-9 record against Kevin Love.
The Clippers will travel to Miami to take on the Heat for the final time this season on February 4th, 2023. If both are healthy, that will be the 30th the time former UCLA teammates go head to head in their careers.
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