One of the most underrated aspects of sports is the art of trash-talking. Not every player has the ability to get under an opponent’s skin with their words. For those who have that ability, they’ll surely utilize it to gain any competitive advantage that they can. Russell Westbrook is one of those guys. Boston Celtics forward Georges Niang has claimed that his intensity would often leak through his words.
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Trash-talking has been an integral part of NBA history. Plenty of the league’s most legendary figures thrived when it came to trash-talking. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant are among a few of the most popular names that come to mind.
Although Niang isn’t a star player, he isn’t afraid to engage in back-and-forths with others on the court. Throughout his nine-year career, he has seen firsthand some of the league’s greatest trash-talkers.
“Joe Ingles is up there because he was one of my teammates,” Niang said on The OGs podcast. “He’d be like, ‘You stupid f*** go drive in there. Rudy’s gonna block your s***.”
Although Ingles is just a role player, he holds some notoriety among basketball fans. His antics against Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2018 playoffs remain a memorable moment.
The Thunder may have lost that series, but they had a list of players who wouldn’t let the Utah Jazz punk them. George’s former teammate, Russell Westbrook, led that charge. Niang has competed against Westbrook countless times and holds the nine-time All-Star in high regard.
“Russell Westbrook has some good one-liners,” Niang added.
As someone who engages in trash-talk, Niang reveals that what players end up saying just comes naturally. “Someone will be like, ‘You said this to me,’ and I’ll be like, ‘My bad’. I don’t even really remember that.”
It’s safe to say Westbrook doesn’t think of his one-liners much beforehand. He just has a knack for saying the right thing when competition is at its peak. Niang also mentions Patrick Beverley among that elite group.
Niang’s new teammate, Jayson Tatum, has also shared the same sentiment regarding Westbrook. Following a road victory against the Denver Nuggets this past season, Tatum added his two cents about Russ’ trash talk.
“I’m not a trash talker. I don’t say anything at all really but if I got a relationship with you, if I know you, I go back and forth. I’m pretty close with Russ so it’s always fun to have matchups every year with each other,” Tatum said.
Westbrook is currently without a home for the 2025-26 NBA season. Once he signs a contract, he surely will continue to wreak havoc through his trash talk across the league.
