Woj: Russell Westbrook 'Bothered' By Suggestion of Being Bad Teammate

Washington Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook is reportedly "bothered" by the idea he's viewed as a lousy teammate following his trade from the Houston Rockets. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Get Up! that Westbrook could use his new partnership with Bradley Beal as an opportunity to change the narrative:

The 32-year-old UCLA product has never faced questions about his talent or individual production.

He was a standout two-way contributor for the Bruins at the college level, winning Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2007-08, before being selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft.

Westbrook has gone on to become one of the league's most productive players. He was voted MVP for the 2016-17 season while with the Oklahoma City Thunder to go along with nine All-Star selections and three straight years in which he averaged a triple-double.

His reputation as a teammate and questions about whether his play style actually benefits those around him are still up for debate, though.

Those concerns may only grow louder after Wojnarowski reported on Rockets superstar James Harden's desire for the team to acquire John Wall in the blockbuster trade with Washington rather than keep Westbrook:

The Oklahoma City Thunder struggled to find high-profile stars to play alongside the two-time scoring champion late in his tenure there, and his stay with the Rockets lasted just a single season.

Playing in the same backcourt with Beal will give him another chance to prove himself not only as one of the NBA's most well-rounded players, but also someone who can help elevate a co-star.

The Wizards are slated to open the preseason Dec. 13 against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets.