Magic Johnson has blunt advice for Russell Westbrook

Mar 23, 2018; Omaha, NE, USA; NBA former player Magic Johnson watches during the first half between the Clemson Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks in the semifinals of the Midwest regional of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Magic Johnson is a Los Angeles Lakers legend, but he did go through periods of his career where he was not quite as popular among Lakers fans. Those periods informed the advice he offered Russell Westbrook in a recent podcast appearance.

Johnson appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast and was asked what he would tell the struggling Westbrook right now. Johnson said Westbrook needs to take accountability instead of fighting the fans and media.

.@MagicJohnson gives Russell Westbrook advice after he was once boo’d & called Tragic Magic:

“First off, take accountability. If you don’t play well, admit it. Stop trying to fight the media and the fans and go out and perform.” pic.twitter.com/e65ntai8Rj

— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) October 24, 2022

“First, take accountability. If I don’t play well, say I don’t play well,” Johnson said. “When I didn’t perform well in ’84 against the Celtics, I admitted that. I took accountability.”

Johnson pointed out that he was widely blamed for the Lakers’ loss in the 1984 NBA Finals to the Celtics. He also discussed how fans blamed him for the dismissal of coach Paul Westhead in 1981, and that his response to boos at that time was to put his head down and simply perform his best, which won the fans over.

“That’s what Russell’s gotta do. Quit trying to fight the media, quit trying to fight the fans, and just say ‘You know what? I didn’t play well, but I’m gonna play better,’ and go out there on the court and perform,” Johnson said. “That’s how you stop all the things that’s going on. But you can’t do it by trying to combat them and trying to be mad at the fans or at the media.”

Westbrook would probably do well to follow Johnson’s advice. After all, going 0-for-11 from the field and then rating the performance as “solid” is not going to win any sympathy or support from Lakers fans. Responding to hecklers is not going to make things better either.

The bigger problem for Westbrook might be that he seems to have lost the faith of his teammates. If he wants to perform as Johnson said, he will have to adapt his style of play, and he simply has not shown the willingness or ability to do that since joining the organization.