The Russell Westbrook/John Wall trade shook Washington Wizards fans and in some ways is still settling in. That may be the case for fans but his teammates are receiving his leadership with open arms.
As a matter of fact, Wizards guard Garrison Mathews credits Westbrook with helping the team shift their mindset.
“I watched him play a lot over his career and one thing I’ve always admired about him is his intensity and his fire,” Mathews said. “I’m not as vocal as he is but I try to match his intensity playing-wise. When you have a guy that plays that hard, it’s contagious and helps everybody get out of that soft mindset.”
Garrison Mathews talks about the impact of Russell Westbrook on the team: ‘His intensity is unmatched.’ #DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/wqlRpzWM5Q
— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) March 20, 2021
The Wizards entire season has been mentally grueling as they battle with inconsistency going back and forth between losing and winning streaks. Westbrook’s ability to instill a tougher mindset in the team has contributed to the fight they display in games that could have gotten out of hand.
Whether in the lineup or on the sidelines, he is often seen coaching the younger teammates and making them better.
Coach Brooks shared that although Westbrook has a hard exterior that is widely misunderstood, he wants the best for his teammates and they respond to that.
Coach Scott Brooks: “Looking at Russell from the outside you think he’s just a hot head or hard to get along with. All of his teammates that I’ve coached for the past eight years love Russell Westbrook.” #DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/wow0vlgGZE
— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) March 20, 2021
Westbrook has also been leading by example on the court. The Wizards are coming off a five-game losing streak after the All-Star Break that was snapped with a 131-122 win against the Utah Jazz. The victory marked one of the strongest games between Bradley Beal (43 points) and Russell Westbrook (35 points).
“[Westbrook’s] easy to play with, because he understands the game, he’s very unselfish, and I feel like I’m the same way,” Beal said. “It’s just a feeling out there, it’s not like we tell each other what to do. We just understand where each other will be on the floor, where we like the ball. It’s been great to see and be a part of.”
Additionally, Westbrook locked in his 13th triple-double of the season with 15 rebounds and 13 assists to go with his 35-point night.
The Wizards will focus on picking up their second win in a row on Sunday when they face the Brooklyn Nets. With newly acquired Blake Griffin making his debut for the Nets, it will be in the Wizards best interest to continue shedding the soft mindset and match Westbrook’s intensity.