Hit or Miss? Breaking down Russell Westbrook
Article by SG Basketball Coach Victor Tan
Westbrook in his element at Houston
Russell Westbrook entered the NBA through the 2008 NBA Draft as the number 4 pick of the Seattle SuperSonics, which was then relocated to Oklahoma City.
A league MVP in the 2017 season, the first player to average a triple double since Oscar Robertson in 1962, Russ is also a 9-time NBA All-Star, 8-time All-NBA team player, a two-time NBA scoring champion and went on to average a triple-double for two more seasons after 2017. A most impressive list of personal achievements. Future Hall-of-Famer for sure.
MVP Westbrook
Tenacious and fearless, Russ plays every game with such force that earns him respect from the media and peers alike. As a fashion icon, he has his own fashion line and appears on talk shows like The Tonight Show featuring Jimmy Fallon etc.
Fashionista Russ
In the 2011/2012 season, together with a young Kevin Durant and James Harden, they went to the NBA finals, only to lose to the Lebron-led triple-headed monster Miami Heat. Most critics predicted this fearsome OKC trio to be part of a dynasty to be challenging for the NBA title for years to come.
The OG three-headed monster at OKC
Then it all went wrong. James Harden was traded away to Houston in 2012. Kevin Durant left in 2016 to the Warriors via free agency. Yet, Russ went from one third of a puzzle, to become the main event. On most nights, he would singlehandedly carry his team to victory. Fans would leave home, talking about his thunderous breakaway dunks, him snaring every available rebound off the giants on the court (he is 6’3) or his teammates scoring easy baskets off his pinpoint passes. His screams of pure elation after a double handed putback dunk. Him punching the air after an And-One coast to coast one man fastbreak. Simply breathtaking. Russell Westbrook is must-see TV.
Then, there is another side to this super talented player. His love-hate relations with the media, his on-court beef with Damian Lillard among all, with the Portland superstar scoring the final 3-pointer in the 2019 playoffs to knock out the Thunder and waving the now infamous goodbye to Russ. Consecutive disappointing exits in the first round of the playoffs, made everyone question Russ’s ability as a leader. Is he just a stat stuffer, or can he be the alpha who brings a franchise to the promised land. Is he a hit or a miss? In the commencement of the 2019/2020 season, Russ is surprisingly traded to the Houston Rockets and now forms a fearsome 1-2 punch with James Harden, a former league MVP himself.
Many questions remain. Is he willing to share the ball with Harden? Who will have the ball in his hands in crunch time? Will he sulk if he is asked to play second fiddle while Harden plays iso ball? Will his lack of 3 point consistency hurt the Rockets’ style of play, which revolves around the 3-point shot? Can Russell Westbrook write a new chapter into his personal crusade to be NBA champion and finally wins it all this season?
What do you think?
About the writer: Coach Victor is a master coach in SG Basketball, who has won 19 national championships and 40 zone titles in Singapore over the past 20 years. He is an avid fan of the game and is highly articulate and detailed in his analysis of the NBA.