Russell Westbrook is a name that evokes a range of emotions from basketball fans, analysts, and players alike. Known for his relentless energy, ferocious competitiveness, and statistical prowess, Westbrook’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary. However, with greatness comes divisiveness.
He is a player who divides opinion, from his triple-doubles to his sometimes erratic style of play. For some, Westbrook is a basketball genius whose passion and drive define the modern NBA; for others, he is a frustrating enigma whose aggressive approach can hurt his team as much as it helps.
Westbrook’s journey to basketball stardom started at UCLA, where he played for one season before entering the 2008 NBA Draft. Selected fourth overall by the Seattle SuperSonics (who soon became the Oklahoma City Thunder), Westbrook’s career quickly took off.
Despite being drafted as a point guard, many viewed him as more of an explosive shooting guard given his athleticism and scoring ability. His unique combination of size, strength, and speed, paired with an aggressive style of play, made him one of the most exciting players to watch.
However, it wasn’t just his scoring ability that made Westbrook a household name—it was his relentless pursuit of triple-doubles. A triple-double, where a player records double digits in three statistical categories—points, assists, and rebounds—is a rare feat in the NBA, and Westbrook became its most prolific practitioner.
His ability to record these stat lines with such frequency reshaped the expectations for what a guard could accomplish in a game. From the 2014-15 season through 2017-18, Westbrook averaged a triple-double for three consecutive seasons, an achievement that was only ever accomplished before by the legendary Oscar Robertson.
Russell Westbrook takes the ball forward in the 2nd halfHard-to-stop forces
During his MVP season in 2017, Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, an incredible feat in a league full of elite talent.
His 2016-17 campaign was the perfect showcase of his ability to carry a team on his back, as he led an Oklahoma City squad that had lost Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors in free agency. Westbrook’s performance that season solidified his place as one of the NBA’s most dynamic and hard-to-stop forces.
However, this dominance came with its fair share of criticisms. Many began to question whether Westbrook’s relentless pursuit of triple-doubles was genuinely beneficial to his team’s success.
Some critics argued that his individual achievements often came at the expense of team chemistry and effective offense. His high usage rate and penchant for turnovers (often as a result of his aggressive nature) meant that he could sometimes hurt his team as much as help them.
As his career has unfolded, Westbrook has been both lauded and lambasted for his playing style. For those who enjoy his brand of basketball, Westbrook is the epitome of intensity. He plays every possession as if it could be his last, a fact that has earned him a legion of loyal fans.
His competitive spirit, relentless hustle, and ability to impact a game in so many ways make him one of the most exciting players to ever take the floor.
Yet for others, Westbrook’s style has often led to frustration. His inability to consistently improve his shooting has been a point of contention, with critics pointing to his struggles from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line.
Despite these shortcomings, Westbrook’s confidence and determination allow him to remain one of the most dangerous players in the league. However, these same qualities have often made him a liability when it comes to decision-making.
Russell Westbrook (NBA)Traded to the Rockets in 2019
His erratic shot selection, combined with a penchant for turnovers, has sometimes resulted in his teams falling short of expectations, especially in high-stakes situations.
The trade to the Houston Rockets in 2019 and later to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021 marked significant moments in his career, with high hopes quickly followed by challenges. Westbrook was expected to be the missing piece for both teams, but neither stint produced a championship.
In Houston, he played alongside James Harden, and while they were an intriguing pairing, the duo’s chemistry never quite clicked. In Los Angeles, Westbrook joined forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but the Lakers’ struggles were well-documented. Westbrook’s fitting into the team’s dynamic became a frequent topic of conversation, with many questioning whether he could adjust his game to complement his superstar teammates.
While some of Westbrook’s struggles with the Lakers were due to the team’s lack of success, he personally faced a new wave of criticism. His perceived decline, especially in comparison to his MVP peak, led to calls for him to step back from being the primary ball handler and scoring option.
Yet, in a way, this scrutiny only added to the complexity of Westbrook’s legacy. While he was often seen as a liability during stretches of the 2021-22 season, he was also a lightning rod for debate. Some felt that his skills, when used correctly, could still be valuable in the right system, while others believed that his flaws had simply become too glaring to ignore.
Russell Westbrook (NBA)A career full of rollercoaster
What makes Westbrook so polarizing is his blend of brilliance and imperfection. For every moment of magic—his stunning dunk, his game-winning shot, his ferocious rebound—there’s a turnover or a missed opportunity.
At the heart of Westbrook’s career lies a genuine desire to win, which is why his inconsistencies are so frustrating to his critics. Westbrook has always played with a chip on his shoulder, a fierce determination to prove his doubters wrong.
His toughness and leadership on the court are unquestioned, and when he’s at his best, he’s nearly impossible to stop. But when he’s not clicking, it can feel as though he’s holding his team back.
Russell Westbrook is a paradox: a player who has achieved greatness on one hand but has been frequently maligned for his flaws on the other.
His legacy, still being written, is one of a basketball player whose intensity, competitiveness, and triple-doubles will be remembered for years to come, regardless of the debates surrounding his efficiency or decision-making. Whether you love him or not, Westbrook’s career will remain a subject of conversation for as long as basketball is played.
