In a recent interview, former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is one of a small group of elite athletes who chose to play the bench in their final seasons in the NBA. Vince Carter is another former great who successfully changed after retiring recently.
Wade talked about the psychological and emotional toll the change takes on a player and how Westbrook is coping, in his opinion.
Wade said, “When you speak about a player like Russell or myself who has had the ball and has been accountable for 50+ percent of their team’s points each night, whenever you identify with, become, and become expected to be this, that is who you are.”
“And as you age, everyone in the world notices a decline in your performance that you may not necessarily notice or feel, but you can tell because your game hasn’t kept up with it since you were 18 years old.”. But you don’t notice the dramatic decline everyone else believes they see. People need more comprehension. The context is essential. And by leaving the bench, Russ has improved his position. I’m glad he’s realized that the situation is outside his control, that it is not his fault, and that he can choose his role based on the circumstances. “.
Since he began playing off the bench, Westbrook has appeared in 23 games and has averaged 14 points on 417 points per game. 311/. 7.9 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 688 shooting splits per game.
In his 15th season, he split between the Cleveland Cavaliers, now-Laker LeBron James, and the Miami Heat; Wade, a 6’4″ shooting guard who was a 13-time All-Star and three-time champion, was moved to a reserve position. Throughout his career, he has averaged 22 points, five assists, four rebounds, seven boards, one steal, and 0 blocks per game. He shoots 48 percent from the field and 76 percent from the free-throw line.
Maxi Kleber of the Mavericks is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury
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