Nikola Jokic says Russell Westbrook was 'misunderstood' by former teams

After a shaky start to the 2024-25 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets have stabilized over the months in this season.

Of course, 3x NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has played a crucial role in that as the Joker is making a strong case to win another MVP award.

However, another key member of the Nuggets, who is having a terrific season is none other than Russell Westbrook.

When Brodie signed with the Nuggets in the summer of 2024, not many had high hopes for him. After all, the former NBA MVP was coming off the heels of two poor stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers.

Fans expected a similar conclusion to Russ' stint with the Nuggets, but he has slowly become an irreplaceable member of the organization. With that said, the Joker recently shared his honest opinion on what Westbrook's previous teams misunderstood about him.

"I love the connection we have. I just need to look at him and he knows exactly what I'm thinking," Jokic said. "I'm a little bit slower so he waits for me to get to my spot and he passes it at the right time. He's a great player. I think the teams he played for in the past misunderstood him and didn't give him the opportunity to be himself."

Jokic on Russell Westbrook being misunderstood by former teams.

"He knows exactly what I'm thinking" pic.twitter.com/sg5AhrKSmE
— n i k o l a e s t h e t i c (@nikolaesthetic) January 22, 2025

Speaking of his numbers, Westbrook is averaging a solid 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game for the Nuggets.

Sure, those numbers are far from what Westbrook was capable of putting up during the prime of his NBA career, but his small contributions have proved valuable for Denver.