Lakers' Russell Westbrook Downplays Viral Huddle Videos, Speculation from Preseason

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook is downplaying any speculation stemming from viral videos of him not standing near his teammates during preseason games.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Westbrook explained he's been "doing the same ritual" before games for as long as he's been in the NBA.

Addressing another video that showed him waving away Patrick Beverley, who called for a huddle following a foul on the defensive end, Westbrook said he was "talking to the coaches about a missed coverage" and the video got cut to make it look like he was dismissing his teammates.

A full clip of the pregame video was posted online, showing Westbrook in the huddle with his teammates at the start. He then runs to the bench to take off his warmup gear and wipe himself off with a towel shortly before they break the huddle.

Rob Perez of Underdog Fantasy noted Westbrook has been doing this same thing for at least a decade, and he found a clip of the former NBA MVP doing it prior to a game last season.

Regarding the second video of the Lakers' players gathering on the court after a foul call, Perez posted a video from the Spectrum SportsNet feed that showed Westbrook was clearly talking to someone on the team's sideline at the time they were huddled up.

It's not a surprise that everything Westbrook does is the subject of intense scrutiny, particularly from Lakers fans. He's been at the center of trade rumors since the end of last season.

The Athletic's Bob Kravitz reported in July the Lakers and Indiana Pacers had talks about a deal that would have sent Westbrook and a first-round draft pick to Indiana for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, but talks broke down because the Pacers wanted a second first-round pick in the trade.

Head coach Darvin Ham told reporters after Wednesday's preseason contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves that the team's style will likely alter the way Westbrook plays:

"Again, we’re playing a positionless style so the opportunities are not gonna always come for him with the ball in your hands. In terms of Russ, there’s running lanes, there’s guy that are willing passers that are gonna find him, we just got to commit to our running habits and our spacing. He can find himself in the corner, he can find himself in the dunker, he can find himself pushing and leading the break. And I think you saw all of that when we played Phoenix in Vegas."

As things currently stand, Westbrook appears likely to at least start the regular season with the Lakers. He averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in 78 starts during the 2021-22 season.

The Lakers struggled their way to a 33-49 record and an 11th-place finish in the Western Conference last season. They are hoping for a fresh start with Ham, as they try to get back into playoff contention.

Westbrook has the potential to be an integral part of what the Lakers are going to do. He will get the opportunity to prove he can fit in with this group when they open the regular season on Oct. 18 against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.