I listened to some sports radio today in Oklahoma City and it appears this Westbrook-Tramel situation has become a bit of a national story as in people across the country had no idea Russell Westbrook was being this rude to the best sportswriter in Oklahoma after every Thunder game.
So where are Sam Presti and Clay Bennett during all this? We know Billy Donovan never says anything to Westbrook even in regards to basketball…but where are the two people on this who surely have to be embarrassed by the behavior of the face of their $1.2 billion dollar franchise as per last Forbes valuation?
Where are these two guys?
So bad on so many different levels for the Thunder from a public relations standpoint.
This is what I mean about these guys. If they weren’t playing for my hometown Thunder the word I would use to describe this nonsense is ‘punkish’. These two dudes who between them make more than $60 million dollars are acting like 7th graders.
These guys are supposed to be not only the face of the franchise, but the face representing ownership and the city to a certain degree.
CJ McCollum wears a jacket with a tie at his pressers and answers his questions politely. Damian Lillard answers questions with no vitriol attached to his answers.
Russell Westbrook makes $36 million dollars this year. That in itself is obscene even if he were a winning post season player which he clearly isn’t. Westbrook after last night’s loss to Portland is 4-11 in post season play without Kevin Durant winning games for him. If the Thunder lose tonight in Portland this mark goes to 4-12 in post season which is a .250 winning percentage without Durant in the goal achieving portion of his career.
Hell…those are Gundy-like numbers in Bedlam just about. Not quite as bad , but if Big Game Bob hadn’t repunted to Tyreke Hill that number would be 1-13. You think Boone has ever mentioned 1-13 to Gundy? So why would Russell Westbrook be rude to Berry Tramel who if you listen to these questions is not asking ‘gotcha’ type questions?
It makes no sense whatsoever and Terry Stotts and his Blazers in no way have acted like this during the series. They’ve gone about their business and conducted themselves like professionals.
Clay Bennett and Sam Presti have a major culture overhaul in front of them regardless of it they fire Billy Donovan after this series to Portland.
You wonder if the Thunder had a legitimate communications group which didn’t pander the Little Nick Gallo bullshit if perhaps Russell Westbrook would have a more adultlike attitude with the better writers at the pressers.
If I were Clay Bennett my first step of several would be to fire the key people in the communications department and start running public relations with the players required to dress and answer questions in an appropriate manner.
Chances are if you don’t have enough personal discipline to carry this off then your play on the court will reveal the same inherit lack of accountability.
Gundy and Westbrook should talk. It might be beneficial for both of them to work thru this together.
Terry Stotts and why he coaches.
I wish CJ’s dad would have had lunch with us, but still—what a great kid. We would have done the Anthony Bourdain Waffle House gig. He would have loved it.