Russell Westbrook on Frank Vogel. I'm not sure what his issue was with me

Kyle Goon: Russell Westbrook on what it was like with Frank Vogel: “I’ve never had an issue with any of my coaches before.” “I’m not sure what his issue was with me,” he said about Vogel, and said he felt like he was trying to prove himself to Frank throughout the year.
Source: Twitter @kylegoon

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Make a prediction about Russell Westbrook’s stats in 2022-23. – 5:24 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
So far, Russell Westbrook is the only Laker player to openly acknowledge that he had issues with coach Frank Vogel. – 5:07 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Russell Westbrook on Frank Vogel: “We never really connected…From the getgo, I was feeling I had to prove myself to him.” – 5:05 PM Brad Turner @BA_Turner
“I;m not sure what his issue was with me,” Russell Westbrook said about Frank Vogel. – 5:04 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Russell Westbrook on his relationship with Frank Vogel: “I’m not sure what his issue was with me.” – 5:04 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook on Frank Vogel: “I’m not sure what his issue was with me.” – 5:03 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Russell Westbrook on what it was like with Frank Vogel: “I’ve never had an issue with any of my coaches before.”
“I’m not sure what his issue was with me,” he said about Vogel, and said he felt like he was trying to prove himself to Frank throughout the year. – 5:02 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook on Frank Vogel: “I can’t really give you an answer on why we never really connected.” – 5:02 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Russell Westbrook is now talking about fighting “made-up stories” about him and his conduct and relationships in the Laker organization. Says “I don’t want to get into details” when asked about potential examples. – 5:00 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Russell Westbrook: “I’m big on putting a ton of pressure on myself coming into any situation. Just my play in general, not my best season … I know a lot of people outside of here have their own expectations, but for me personally … I’m not happy.” – 5:00 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Russell Westbrook said “top to bottom” on coming to L.A.: I just felt like I was never given a fair chance to be who I needed to be to help this team. – 4:57 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook says when he “first got here” with the Lakers that he didn’t get “a fair chance” to prove himself. – 4:57 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Russell Westbrook said he was never given a “fair chance” to be who he needed to be this season, “from top to bottom.” – 4:57 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Russell Westbrook said his reception from fans “wasn’t so great.” When asked if that was the most disappointing part of the season for him, he said no.
“It’s disappointing, but not the most disappointing.” – 4:55 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Russell Westbrook said he was “too relaxed at times, to be completely honest” playing back home in Los Angeles. – 4:55 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook won’t reveal his decision or if he’s made one on whether he’ll exercise his $47M player option with the Lakers. – 4:54 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Russell Westbrook when asked if he’s going to pick up his $47 million player option:
“I’ll make the decision. That’s why it’s called a player option.” – 4:53 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook admits it was “not my best season” this year. – 4:53 PM Brad Turner @BA_Turner
“My play in general, not my best season,” Russell Westbrook said. – 4:52 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
“Not my best season,” Russell Westbrook acknowledged. “…And yeah, I’m not happy with the way the season prevailed from that perspective.” – 4:52 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Russell Westbrook: “Not my best season just going off of my own personal scale. That’s all I go off of.” – 4:52 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
We pick back up on exit interviews with Russell Westbrook: “I’m big on putting a ton of pressure on myself coming into any situation. Just my play in general, not my best season.” – 4:52 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook on his first season with the Lakers: “Just overall not a successful season from top to bottom.” – 4:51 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook’s presser is underway… pic.twitter.com/DLPMpgm5zQ – 4:50 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Westbrook scheduled to be next (130) but running late, obviously…
One thing about Russ this yr is you never know what you’ll get from his pressers. Curious to see if he says anything about Vogel, teammates, LA…
He could vent or say nothing & neither wouldn’t surprise me. – 4:42 PM Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
Announcement: I will not believe any “Team X has emerged as a possible suitor for a Russell Westbrook trade” report for the next six months, unless that team is located in Greece or Italy. – 3:07 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
LeBron James when asked if he, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook just need more time together: “That’s not my decision.” – 12:28 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
LeBron James on if the Lakers should keep himself, AD and Westbrook as a trio: “That’s not my decision.” LeBron called it a “front office decision.” – 12:27 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
LeBron says the reason the BIG 3 didn’t work this season is “because we weren’t on the damn floor together.”
21 games of LeBron + AD + Westbrook. – 12:24 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
LeBron James sums up his fit with Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook: “The reason we were not very good together is we weren’t on the damn floor together. That’s the No. 1 damn thing.” – 12:24 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
LeBron on Westbrook: “One thing about Russ that I love and I will always love is just his competitive spirit and what he brings to the game every night.” Says it’s not up to him to make decisions about the roster, but he’s loved being Russ’ teammate. – 12:10 PM Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Lebron on his time with Westbrook…”I love being a teammate with Russ, that’s just the way it is…” – 12:09 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
LeBron James on if he can envision playing with Russell Westbrook again next season: “I’m not here to make decisions for the front office and that nature. But I loved being teammates with Russ.” – 12:09 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
LeBron on Russell Westbrook partnership next year: “I don’t put any expectations on anything. … I love being a teammate with Russ. That’s just the way it is.” – 12:09 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
The Lakers are eyeing a recent NBA championship coach for their expected head coach opening – and which Eastern Conference team could emerge as a trade partner for Russell Westbrook.
Inside what’s next for the Lakers at @TheAthletic: theathletic.com/3243084/2022/0… – 11:58 AM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
With the season now over for the Lakers, odds have surfaced regarding Russell Westbrook’s next team, via @bookies: pic.twitter.com/XsBeaOnFS2 – 11:44 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Joel Embiid led the NBA in scoring, averaging 30.6 PPG.
He did so despite averaging 33.8 MPG, the lowest figure in NBA history by a player who averaged at least 30 PPG:
33.8 – Embiid, 2021-22
34.2 – Stephen Curry, 2020-21
34.2 – Curry, 2015-16
34.6 – Russell Westbrook, 2016-17 pic.twitter.com/BAS3E0ud20 – 11:11 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Nikola Jokic this season:
2,004 PTS (5th)
1,019 REB (1st)
584 AST (6th)
109 STL (10th)
Jokic is just the second player in NBA history to rank in the top 10 of all four categories in a single season.
He joins Russell Westbrook, who did so twice (2016-17 & 2017-18). pic.twitter.com/pGRVIv396E – 11:01 AM Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
Russell Westbrook next team odds (via @bookies):
Los Angeles Lakers: +250
Oklahoma City Thunder+ +400
Houston Rockets: +550
Charlotte Hornets: +550
Miami Heat: +600 – 8:18 AM Dave McMenamin @mcten
The Lakers, picked by Vegas to win 52.5 games, end the season 33-49 – a final win in DEN offering respite from a painful campaign. LeBron, Westbrook and Rob Pelinka are all slated to speak to reporters Monday as part of exit interviews. There will be plenty of questions to answer – 12:39 AM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
I asked Anthony Davis about Russell Westbrook’s often turbulent relationship with fans this season, how he and LeBron had communicated with him, and if he thought it could be healed. Davis’ response was four minutes long, and he wrapped up with this point on Russ’ role: pic.twitter.com/8o30BXvqhi – 10:03 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Michael Malone said Denver will be sitting a bunch of guys tonight against the Lakers: Jokic, Gordon, Barton and Morris.
For LAL, no LeBron, AD, Westbrook or Anthony. – 7:48 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Trae Young today:
28 PTS
5 REB
11 AST
It’s the 29th time Young has recorded at least 25p/10a in a game this season.
The only players since the ABA-NBA merger to record more such games in a season are James Harden (43, 2016-17) and Russell Westbrook (37, 2016-17). pic.twitter.com/k84tKLjgLy – 7:29 PM

More on this storyline

Ryan Ward: Malik Monk on strained relationship between Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook: “They never really let that come between us and the team.” -via Twitter @RyanWardLA / April 11, 2022 Kyle Goon: When @Dan Woike mentions that LeBron and AD said many times throughout the year, “Let Russ be Russ,” Russell Westbrook immediately responds: “Yeah, but that wasn’t true. Let’s be honest.” -via Twitter @kylegoon / April 11, 2022 Ryan Ward: Russell Westbrook says the “only issue” he really had here in LA was the “reception” he received from people here. Admits it “wasn’t so great.” -via Twitter @RyanWardLA / April 11, 2022