Russell Westbrook (1988-), The Oklahoma City Thunder's Explosive Guard and Team Centerpiece

[DonRocks]

Now that Kevin Durant has become a Golden State Warrior ...

"Russell Westbrook: Nowhere Else I'd Rather Be than Oklahoma City" on espn.com

I don't blame Kevin Durant at all for leaving, but I *love* Russell Westbrook for staying. He may be an Ernie Banks - someone with the talent of a Mays or Mantle, who never had the championship to complete his legacy, but I have endless, undying respect for Ernie Banks. It's even tougher for Westbrook than it was for Banks, because Banks at least played in a major market - I only hope that Oklahoma City rewards him at the end of his career by letting him stay with the Thunder when he's in his twilight years - one-team players have a special place in my heart, and the onus is on Oklahoma City to fulfill their end of the unwritten agreement.

[DaveO]

At this moment Westbrook is averaging an unprecedented Oscar Robinson triple double:  31 pts, 11.3 assists, and 10.3 rebounds.  Since nobody has averaged a triple double for a season, those are CRAZY stats, doing something that hasn't been done in 50+ years.  His team is 11-8, 6th in the Western Conference and has had some 3 or 4 game winning and losing streaks.  They are almost 1/4 of the season done, and he is simply dominating in every facet at an unprecedented statistical and actual basis. 

His Usage Percentage is currently over 40%, which would be an all time high (Usage Percentage is, as defined by one source, is a calculation of number of shots, # of free throws, # of turnovers/ relative to the person's minutes played and the totals for the team.   In other words he is the definition of a one man team.  

Meanwhile the teams with the current best records each have a group of star players who end up dividing the shots, and handling the ball over the course of the game.  Actually Lebron James is having a stellar season in this regard with a lot of points, rebounds, and assists....just not to the level that Westbrook has.  Lebron's Cavaliers have significantly better players than Oklahoma, Westbrook's team, and are dividing up the ball, shots, etc, more than on Oklahoma.

Its a statistical freak, but is the evidence of one player going all out in every facet.  I suppose if you want to watch one guy doing everything and then going into the stands and selling popcorn and beers, this is the year to watch Westbrook.

I think the most amazing part of that statistical package is his rebounding.  There isn't another guard in the league doing what he is doing on the rebounding end.  He has astonishing drive.  This highlight film of Westbrook's rebounding is from last year: He is doing more of that this season. Very impressive:

Watch the 4th one..then the 5th, 6th, 7th...then a little later he goes coast to coast after a defensive rebound.  He is a one man show!!!