• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Phoenix Sports Today

Phoenix Sports News Continuously Updated

  • Cardinals
  • Diamondbacks
  • Coyotes
  • Basketball
    • Mercury
    • Suns
  • Soccer
  • Colleges
    • Arizona State
    • Grand Canyon University
    • Northern Arizona
    • University of Arizona

Russell Westbrook Reveals What He Used To Talk About With Kobe

August 11, 2021 by The Spun

Russell Westbrook and Kobe Bryant move past one another during the NBA All-Star Game in 2016.

Throughout his career in the NBA, Russell Westbrook has earned a reputation for being tough and relentlessly hard-working, no matter what team he’s playing for or who he’s playing with. Now that he’s headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, connections are already being drawn between him and Kobe Bryant.

The Black Mamba spent his entire career in Los Angeles, leading the Lakers to five titles during his 20-year stint with the team. Westbrook is now eager to carry on that legacy of winning and plans to use past advice that he got from Bryant to do so.

Westbrook met with the Los Angeles media for the first time on Tuesday afternoon, as he was introduced as the newest member of the Lakers. During the press conference, he recalled a past conversation that he has with the late Bryant about what it takes to wear the iconic purple and gold.

“Things that we talked about, me and him, just the potential of me being a Laker and understanding what that entails,” Westbrook said, per Jacob Rude. “It’s just crazy to think about. That’ll be with me every time I put that Laker jersey on.”

Russell Westbrook on talking to Kobe Bryant in the past about one day being a Laker. pic.twitter.com/gwfGiKsloH

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 10, 2021

“Things that we talked about, me and him, just the potential of me being a Laker and understanding what that entails. It’s just crazy to think about. That’ll be with me every time I put that Laker jersey on.”

– Russell Westbrook on his relationship with Kobe💜

(h/t @JacobRude ) pic.twitter.com/CziyJpZwCL

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) August 10, 2021

It’s no surprise that Westbrook and Bryant would’ve had such conversations in the past, given Westbrook’s connection to the Los Angeles area. The veteran point guard grew up in Long Beach, California and played at UCLA for two years, so a stint with the Lakers seemed like an inevitability.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Westbrook also revealed another important piece of information that Lakers fans were eager to find out: he’ll switch back to wearing No. 0 in Los Angeles.

Russell Westbrook, back to No. 0. pic.twitter.com/LT2mWJX1PB

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) August 10, 2021

Now that his introductory press conference has concluded, Westbrook will turn his focus to building chemistry with the Lakers retooled roster. The 32-year-old point guard will need to figure out how to plug-in alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis if Los Angeles hopes to get back to the NBA Finals in 2022.

[Fred Katz]

The post Russell Westbrook Reveals What He Used To Talk About With Kobe appeared first on The Spun.

Filed Under: Arizona State

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • 3 Burning Questions For Suns Heading Into 2025-26 Season
  • Kyler’s Healthy Knee, and Camp Practice Aftermath
  • Astros Interested In Carlos Correa Reunion
  • 31 days until kickoff, Dimitri Nance was a stable presence at running back
  • Arizona head coach Brent Brennan named to another hot seat

Categories

Archives

Our Partners

All Sports

  • 247 Sports
  • ArizonaSports.com - 98.7 FM
  • Bleacher Report
  • Heat Waved
  • OurSports Central
  • The Arizona Republic
  • The Sports Fan Journal
  • USA Today

Baseball

  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • AZ Snake Pit
  • Last Word On Baseball
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Venom Strikes

Basketball

  • Phoenix Suns
  • Amico Hoops
  • Basketball Insiders
  • Bright Side Of The Sun
  • High Post Hoops
  • Hoops Hype
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Last Word On Pro Basketball
  • Pro Basketball Talk
  • Real GM
  • Valley Of The Suns

Football

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Cardinals Gab
  • Cards Wire
  • Deep Dive
  • Last Word On Pro Football
  • NFL Trade Rumors
  • Our Turf Football
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Football Talk
  • Raising Zona
  • Revenge Of The Birds
  • Words From The Birds

Hockey

  • Elite Prospects
  • Five For Howling
  • Howlin Hockey
  • Last Word On Hockey
  • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Talk
  • The Hockey Writers

Soccer

  • Last Word on Soccer
  • MLS Multiplex

College

  • AZ Desert Swarm
  • Busting Brackets
  • College Football News
  • College Sports Madness
  • Devils In Detail
  • House Of Sparky
  • Last Word On College Basketball - Univ of Arizona
  • Saturday Blitz
  • Zags Blog
  • Zona Zealots

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in