Patrick Beverley Defends Russell Westbrook, Calls Out Media for Portrayal of NBA Icon's Game

Russell Westbrook's retirement from the NBA surprised those who felt he still had something left in the tank, even one of his longtime rivals.

During the latest episode of The Pat Bev Show, former NBA point guard Patrick Beverley, who once had a contentious relationship with Westbrook before teaming together on the Los Angeles Lakers, asserted that the media played a role in the diminished perception of the nine-time All-Star, forcing him to end his career prematurely.

"I'm going to be honest. I felt like he had a lot of game left. I feel like he played really well last season. I think the media killed his game," Beverley said (h/t BasketNews.com). "I'm going to be honest. I think the media is so strong that it allowed fans to call him names and have opinions about his game, which also forced team owners, GMs, and presidents to look at him a certain way."

Westbrook ended his 18-year NBA career after spending the 2025-26 season with the Sacramento Kings. He was a productive contributor with averages of 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds across 64 games. He reportedly had offers from the Kings and Washington Wizards to continue his career, but he turned them down to retire on his own terms.

Still, Beverley said he felt Westbrook was more talented than a host of other NBA players and deserved another chance to extend his career.

"When you talk about guards in the NBA, and no disrespect to guys on current teams, but when you talk about Lonnie Walker, he's a good friend of mine, but if he can make an NBA team, Russell Westbrook can make an NBA team without a doubt," Beverley said.