Paul George and Russell Westbrook have been abused so much by fans online, and one of their former teammates is getting tired of them.
Being in the modern era of the NBA is a bit of a double-edged sword for players. The exposure is greater and the opportunities are more profitable, but they are more exposed to fan backlash than ever before.
The advent of social media has given fans the ability to express their admiration, but more prominently, their critiques have directly criticized the players.
Players can receive scapegoats from fans due to team failures, and the two who often carry the brunt of toxic fan behavior online are Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
Recently, fans have slammed George for not reaching the NBA Finals before Miles Turner. Meanwhile, Westbrook won Pelter for a recent report on his attitude towards the Nugget.
For some reason, the fans are very strict with the two former All-Stars. And one of their former teammates believes they are being treated unfairly by their critics.
Raymond Felton, former teammates of Russell Westbrook and Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder, were guests on the latter podcast.
Speaking about his admiration for both Westbrook and George, Felton denounced the fans for unfairly beating the pair, pointing out how difficult the two jobs behind the cameras make it as successful as they are.
“Another time, you got these clowns here. I feel they say a lot about people playing basketball games, but they never did what we actually did.
“What they say, sometimes about the pass, or about the russ? I played with both of them. I know the hard work they put in.
“After practice, we post extra shots every day and play one-on-one with each other. People don’t see it. People think it’s all sweet. Not that.
“These guys really work. These guys are the major superstars of this league and the world. People don’t understand that. These guys really did that kind of job.
Felton is not the only one to protect Westbrook from criticism from fans. Austin Rivers stood up to protect Westbrook after reports that his attitude had gone viral. However, Russ, in particular, has faced a lot of backlash over the past few years.
Speaking further about the two stars, Felton said they adapted the game when the two players got older. He wins the NBA Championship before retiring in favor of both Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
“These two players have been great since they stepped onto the court, and as they get older in the league, everyone can turn into a game.
“If you don’t play the game, you don’t know. He can still do a lot of great things. I hope he (George) gets the championship before he retires.
Paul George hoped to compete with the 76ers for the NBA championship this year. But for him and his teammates, the snake bite season ended early. However, the 76ers will keep Joel along with Joel Embiid and run things next season.
Westbrook played in the Championship this year as he played a strong role with the Denver Nuggets as he tried to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA playoffs.
Richard Jefferson has asked Westbrook as a champion for the Championship Caliber, but he doesn’t deny how important he is to their success.
Both Westbrook and Paul George are approaching the end of their careers. And after years of attempts, they ran out of time to ultimately win the NBA Championship.