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Watch: Russell Westbrook wasn’t overly excited to play Reggie Jackson

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook didn’t have much to say about former teammate, Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson.

Thunder guard Russell Westbrook didn’t seem too excited about facing off against Pistons guard Reggie Jackson on Friday, who was traded by the Thunder last season after saying he wanted to become a starter.

To fans and some writers covering the game, Jackson’s return to Oklahoma City was an occasion. He was booed in warmups and during his touches, and was the subject of questions in player interviews following the Thunder’s 103–87 victory.

To Westbrook, he was just another opponent.

“Who?” Westbrook asked, when faced with a question from a reporter about “Reggie’s return to OKC.”

“Reggie Jackson,” the reporter answered.

“What happened?” he inquired.

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The reporter went on to contextualize the situation, mentioning that there had been “anticipation” surrounding Jackson’s first game against the Thunder, admittedly from the media. 

“Nobody in this locker room [anticipated it]. We wasn’t worried,” Westbrook said. “We just came out and competed. Maybe [there was anticipation] from y’all, it was just another player, another team,” he said.

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Whether it was a concerted effort or not, the Thunder held Jackson in check. He finished just 4-of-16 from the field for 15 points. Westbrook himself didn’t have his best game, going 5-for-15 for 14 points and turning the ball over 11 times.

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This isn’t the first time Westbrook has been short with the media. He also wasn’t too impressed with Marcus Smart after a 

Back in January he mentioned the team’s “good job of execution” six separate times during a a 90-second interview, and told a reporter he did not like him.

You can watch highlights of the Thunder’s win on Friday below.