Over the last few seasons, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster for former superstar point guard Russell Westbrook, who agreed to a deal with the Sacramento Kings last week after months as a free agent.

While Westbrook remains a formidable player at 36, his performance began to decline during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. After the Lakers acquired him from the Washington Wizards in a deal that included Kyle Kuzma—an intricate piece of Los Angeles’ 2020 NBA Championship—the chemistry between Westbrook and Lakers superstar LeBron James never fully developed.

Just over 24 hours before the NBA season tips off, reports have resurfaced about Westbrook’s time with the Lakers, which ended poorly. He seemingly believed James was “fake,” a key reason the duo never worked on or off the court.

According to The Ringer’s Yaron Weitzman, Westbrook grew tired of James’ “fake” behavior during their near two-season stint together.

“I hate the fake [explicit], I just can’t do it,” Westbrook said.

“LeBron reportedly pushed for a reunion with Kyrie Irving—a move that would have required trading Westbrook, despite publicly denying it. “LeBron often said, ‘Let Russ be Russ,’ in interviews but didn’t actually support him behind the scenes,” Weitzman wrote.

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The playing styles of Westbrook and James simply didn’t mesh on the court.

Both are highly ball-dominant, and when a player shares the floor with James, his ability to shoot effectively—especially as a guard or forward—is crucial. That has never been Westbrook’s strength and was particularly problematic during his time in Los Angeles.

He shot below 30% from beyond the arc in both seasons with the Lakers and struggled to reach 44% from the field. Combine that with both players’ consistently high turnover rates, and it’s clear why the pairing just didn’t work.

Now, James is preparing for a record-breaking 23rd season and will turn 41 in December, while Westbrook will suit up for a new team for the third consecutive year and has no plans to retire after this season.

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