Russell Westbrook admits it was 'secretly' always his plan to play for Lakers

Russell Westbrook has never dimmed his love for his hometown Los Angeles — he even founded a clothing brand dedicated to his upbringing — and now he gets to truly relish in it as a new member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Monday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Kimmel asked Westbrook if the Lakers had always been his endgame.

"Secretly, yes," the one-time NBA MVP admitted. "I mean, I think every player wants to eventually play home, and I think now the timing is right. The setting is right. The team is right. Everything is aligning."

The Lakers traded with the Washington Wizards for Westbrook in early August.

Westbrook explained that the "opportunity to see my kids grow up and not be going back and forth," as well as being able to spend more time with his family and close friends in general, is the best part. Getting to play with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony probably doesn't hurt either.

"It's crazy because I played with Melo in Oklahoma City, and we never even talked about playing with each other," the 32-year-old nine-time All-Star point guard explained. "Me and Bron been friends for years, and it never even came up. And then, all of a sudden, this summer, it was like, boom."

Westbrook led the league by averaging 11.7 assists last season, adding 22.2 points and 11.5 rebounds. He is the all-time league leader for career triple-doubles with 184, passing Oscar Robertson in May.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, ahead of their first season after rebranding from the Seattle SuperSonics, drafted Westbrook out of UCLA with the fourth overall pick. He departed OKC for the Houston Rockets following a trade in July 2019.

Westbrook's last appearance in the NBA Finals came all the way back in 2012. He wouldn't guarantee that the Lakers will win their second championship in three years, but he did say, "I like our chances."

Watch Westbrook's interview with Kimmel below.