Russell Westbrook Details 'Fake' LeBron James Behavior Causing Lakers Rift

Russell Westbrook's tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons was marked by significant tension and dysfunction, particularly with teammate LeBron James. According to Yaron Weitzman's book "A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers," Westbrook grew increasingly frustrated with what he perceived as James' "fake" and inauthentic behavior, exemplified by a tense incident involving actor Will Smith's motivational speech to the team. Westbrook viewed James' public persona as carefully curated and often misleading, citing several instances where James seemed to misrepresent himself, which eroded their relationship. Behind the scenes, James was reportedly pushing for a trade involving Westbrook to reunite with Kyrie Irving, contradicting his public statements of support. On the court, their playing styles clashed, with both players being ball-dominant and Westbrook struggling with shooting efficiency, contributing to the Lakers' poor performance and eventual failure to make the playoffs in 2022. After Westbrook was traded in early 2023, the Lakers experienced a rebound, reaching the Western Conference Finals that year, while Westbrook continued his career elsewhere.