NBA Player Power Rankings: Change of the Guard
4. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Rank: No. 4
Position: Point Guard
Age: 27
Slash Line: .460/.305/.816
Season Averages: 34.6 MPG 24.0 PPG, 10.4 APG, 7.5 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 1.3 3PM
Statistically speaking, a case could be made that no player does more for their team than Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook. Having swallowed much of his pride to learn to play for efficiency, Westbrook is having an all-time season.
Whether he’s scoring, facilitating, crashing the boards, or ball-hawking, Westbrook is doing it all at an elite level.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Westbrook is on pace to be the first player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points, 10.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. He’s in a war to lead the league in steals, and is on pace to average a double-double as a point guard.
Take away the steals, which were introduced as an official statistic in 1973-74, and Westbrook is still in rare company.
Westbrook would be the first player to average at least 20.0 points 10.0 assists, and 7.5 rebounds since Magic Johnson in 1988-89. Before Johnson, it hadn’t been done by anyone since Magic Johnson in 1965-66.
How much more evidence do you need that Westbrook is on a Hall of Fame pace?
Next: The Closer