Russell Westbrook officially decided to hang up his sneakers after playing 18 unforgettable NBA seasons. On August 12, the 37-year-old guard posted a video on his Instagram account announcing his retirement with the caption, “Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end. You had to be there. And now it’s over.”
While fans celebrate Westbrook’s career as a nine-time All-Star, 2017 MVP, and two-time scoring champion, some critics weren’t as enthusiastic about Brodie’s game.
Terron Armstead Calls Out Skip Bayless Over Russell Westbrook Disrespect
When a player with 27,176 points, 10,351 assists, and 9,025 rebounds decides to walk away, the basketball world usually pauses to give flowers, but not Skip Bayless when it comes to Russell Westbrook.
Earlier this week, sports commentator Skip Bayless posted a 13-minute video on X explaining why the legendary point guard does not deserve to be a Hall of Famer, citing high turnover rates and calling him a “horrendous three-point shooter.”
“Russell Westbrook has retired. Obviously, his numbers and achievements say slam-dunk, first-ballot Hall of Famer. But I have been very consistent in my stance about Russell Westbrook, my view of Russell Westbrook’s game. He would not be in my Hall of Fame,” said Bayless.
“I don’t hate the player, but I guess I hate the game. Just ain’t my cup of Gatorade. But I will say this. I have great respect for how hard Russell Westbrook played the game of basketball every single dribble of 18 seasons. Played hard, man…Played fiercely…all-time intensely. I give you Russ that…not who I want in my Hall of Fame.”
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This hot take immediately sent fans into a frenzy, prompting former NFL player and five-time Pro Bowler Terron Armstead to come to Westbrook’s defense.
Armstead took to social media to blast the criticism, calling this behavior a “goofy activity.”
“We gotta stop [expletive] like this, man! This man just retired, and you clearly acknowledge he’s a sure First Ballot Hall of Famer… then proceeds to make a 15min video of why he shouldn’t be?? The goofy activity in media has to stop!” wrote Armstead on X.
Armstead’s reaction taps into a broader frustration shared by professional athletes with sports media, where rage-bait culture to drive engagement is taking precedence over constructive analysis.
Across 1,301 regular-season games, Westbrook averaged 20.9 points, 8.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 43.8% from the field and 30.8% from three.
At the end of the day, Westbrook’s resume speaks far louder than any manufactured debate. He finished his career as the NBA’s all-time triple-double king with 209, cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant guards in league history.
