Rockets vs Mavericks: Russell Westbrook's 'bizarre' locker room expression has fans calling him 'meme material'
The Houston Rockets are to open their first of eight seeding games on July 31 against the Dallas Mavericks for the restart of NBA season. This time, it's not just the match statistics that is driving the Internet crazy, but courtside chatter and locker room shenanigans are also gaining fans' attention. For this game, it was Rocket’s player Russell Westbrook's 'bizarre' expressions that has the Internet in splits.
The player was caught on camera in the players' locker room before the match and it looks like he is not very happy about it.
Westbrook wasn’t happy about the cameras in the locker room.. can’t blame him😂 pic.twitter.com/8F5n56axJl
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) August 1, 2020
After the video of the player’s bewildered expressions surfaced, the Internet couldn't help but have some fun at his expense.
One user rightly said that the player managed to give 100 reactions in a couple of seconds.
westbrook had like 100 reactions in a couple of seconds
— Courtsiders 🏀 (@courtsiderspod) August 1, 2020
Others called it 'totally meme' material.
We rlly got new Russell Westbrook and a Giannis memes in less than an hour lol pic.twitter.com/eyIWqybQYO
— 𝓜𝓪𝓽𝓽𓅓 (@DrizzyFerg) August 1, 2020
“Russ got the perfect combo of weird/funny” tweets another fan.
For one fan, Westbrook's frowning face reminds him of his 18 month daughter as he called the player a 'diva'. “Haaaha yet its always someone else’s fault. Dude crys more then my 18month old and 3year old combined. DIVA!”
Haaaha yet its always someone else’s fault. Dude crys more then my 18month old and 3year old combined. DIVA!
— MattyL206 (@MattyL206) August 1, 2020
Some people were amused to see how the player reacted to the camera coverage of him. “He pointed at the camera and pointed at him and pointed back at the camera and pointed back at him ... lol Russ is amazing!”
He pointed at the camera and pointed at him and pointed back at the camera and pointed back at him ... lol Russ is amazing!
— Benderkm4 (@benderkm4) August 1, 2020
Some found him goofy and had a great laugh.
Others said Westbrook looked like he was caught doing something wrong.
Quite a number of people raised privacy concerns and said that the NBA must not have cameras in the locker room. They tweeted, “It’s extremely disrespectful the amount of cameras and people the NBA puts in the privacy of a changing room”.
It’s extremely disrespectful the amount of cameras and people the NBA puts in the privacy of a changing room
— Anthony Stark (@avengersjackson) August 1, 2020
Some ask “Why the f**k is a camera in the locker room where they get changed?”
People also lashed out at the media for such minute coverage of players. “Why is the camera there anyway come on na you don’t have to watch these players every move. This why they be so frustrated with media.”
Why is the camera there anyway come on na you don’t have to watch these players every move. This why they be so frustrated with media. pic.twitter.com/l0yNbFTIBF
— Usey StJaii (@usey_jaii) August 1, 2020
Internet also questioned if this breached privacy of players since the locker room is meant to be a private zone. One fan tweeted, “Do you wanna be filmed for national TV while changing?”
Some even rebuked the “Freaky camera dude focusing in on Russ like”. Others tweeted that he is not to be blamed for expressing a frowning face as it's some voyeuristic creepy cameraman that has focussed on his face. “Don't blame him. That's some voyeuristic creepy looking shit there”.
Freaky camera dude focusing in on Russ like pic.twitter.com/JRuM146mfo
— Brian Smith (@Bcove4Life) August 1, 2020
A basketball buff, tweeted a picture showing Westbrook’s current hilarious expressions and past ones and pointed that he has an animated face. “Russell Westbrook's facial expressions remain elite. #Rockets” he tweeted.
Russell Westbrook's facial expressions remain elite. #Rockets pic.twitter.com/zd5oqk4WPe
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) August 1, 2020
This hints that this is not the first time that his expressions have come in limelight. The player has an overtly telling personality and never likes to hide his emotions in or off court.
In 2015, a sports Handle tweeted a picture where the player is seen cavorting while playing, in what looks like a practise match.“Russell Westbrook in-game facial expressions be like.”
Russell Westbrook in-game facial expressions be like. 😂🏀pic.twitter.com/LJxktRGRwg
— NBA SKITS (@NBA_Skits) July 13, 2015
His expressions are always perceived as "meme gold" and fans often light the internet up from time to time for jest.