Russell Westbrook has played just one game in a Washington Wizards uniform thus far, but he is already proving to have a big impact.
Wizards backcourt partner Bradley Beal spoke recently on the changes that Westbrook has already made to the team’s culture since arriving.
“He [Westbrook] has the resume, mentally and physically, he’s gifted,” said Beal, per Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington. “Just from a professional standpoint, our work has been great every day, we haven’t had that I promise you in my nine years being here.
“It’s a natural carryover, it’s like contagious a lot of time,” Beal added about Westbrook’s passion. “He forces that out of you, and that’s what I love for me, because I don’t have to be the vocal one all the time.”
Second-year Wizards big man Rui Hachimura was also quoted as saying that Westbrook “has changed the energy of the team.”
The ex-MVP Westbrook arrived in Washington this offseason in a trade with the Rockets that sent John Wall to Houston. He recorded a triple-double in his debut with the Wizards on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Westbrook has been widely lauded for his leadership skills throughout his NBA career. We know he was irked by the culture at his previous stop, so it sounds like the Wizards are already a much more ideal situation for him.
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