On Tuesday night, the 2025-26 NBA regular season tips off. The action begins with the Houston Rockets taking on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and ends with a matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers.
There are plenty of stories to follow as the NBA season begins. For instance, former league MVP Russell Westbrook will begin his 18th season in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings.
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After his exit from the Thunder, Westbrook has bounced around the league, even making a stop with the Lakers back in 2022-23.
However, Westbrook’s time with the Lakers may have not been roses. According to Yaron Weitzman of The Ringer, Westbrook could not handle the “fake” act by LeBron James.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James holds guard Russell Westbrook after Westbrook was fouled by San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins in the second half at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
In an excerpt from Weitzman’s book ‘A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of The LeBron Lakers’, Weitzman wrote that Westbrook told a teammate “I hate the fake s—,” when an awkward situation went down after Will Smith spoke with the team.
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It was clear to anyone who watched the Lakers during that time period that something wasn’t right. Westbrook never seemed to fit into what James had in mind for the Lakers. Now, with stories spilling out like this one, the stars are starting to align about the situation.
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