Kenyon Martin Went Off After ESPN Ranked Russell Westbrook As The 94th Best Player In The League

34-year-old Russell Westbrook is hardly what he used to be during his glory days with the Thunder. Even so, his placement at 94th on ESPN's player rankings this season was enough to cause quite a stir in the NBA community. Just days after Wizards star Kyle Kuzma spoke out against the list, former league All-Star Kenyon Martin went off on the network for disrespecting an NBA legend.

“Show me f*cking 93 other people better than Russell Westbrook in the NBA. You have two people on the list ahead of him that ain’t played one f*cking NBA minute... Wemby and Scoot. They got Russ 94th dog. Are you sh*tting me? Let's stop this f*cking madness man. Get the f*ck out of here man!"

Westbrook has been a controversial figure for most of his NBA career, but things took a turn for the worse after his situation with the Lakers turned toxic last season. It wasn't until a last-minute trade in February that Russ found his permanent home with the Clippers but it's clear that he still has a lot to prove with the critics both on and off the court.

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The Disrespect Is Real For The Former MVP

Russ' fall from grace has been steep and fast, but many would argue that some of the hate has gone too far. As Westbrook personally described last summer, his family was harassed and bullied by Lakers fans both online and in the streets across the city. From the media, they did whatever they could to discredit his game and this list by ESPN is just the latest example of how most media experts and analysts undervalue the 9x All-Star. In their list, Westbrook fell behind several rookies and role-players such as Victor Wmebanyama, Scoot Henderson, and Immanuel Quickley.

Despite his flaws and obvious decline, Westbrook is still finding success on the court thanks to his relentless motor, unstoppable drive, and elite playmaking ability. In 21 games for the Clippers, however, he played pretty well with averages of 15.8 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game on 48% shooting. Whether or not he can replicate that play into this season remains to be seen, but the Clippers are feeling good about their chances.

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Is This The Last Dance For The LA Clippers?

The best way for Westbrook to beat the haters is to help lead his team to a title, but the Clippers are far from a sure bet to claim the Larry O'Brien trophy next June. With Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and potentially James Harden in the mix, the Clippers have an undeniably talented lineup that goes 10 deep. But as we enter year five of the Kawhi/George era, some serious questions are being raised about whether they missed their window to win.

In the West alone, teams like the Suns and Lakers got better and it will be hard for the Clippers to keep up. Even if Kawhi and Paul George manage to stay healthy, it remains to be seen if they have enough as presently constructed to take out the NBA juggernauts. But with George turning 34 in May, and Kawhi coming off another major injury, time is running out for the team to deliver on their promise and validate their efforts over the past few decades. For better or worse, Westbrook will play a huge role in how it all plays out for them and the Clippers will need him at his best if they want any hope of making new ground.

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