OKC Thunder: Russell Westbrook ‘Not A Superstar’?

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn’t feel that OKC Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is a superstar. Is he right?

Dallas Mavericks‘ owner Mark Cuban has built a reputation for himself as being a genius of the business world. When evaluating his knowledge for basketball, he also checks out as being pretty intelligent as well.

However, his comments about Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook not being a superstar in the NBA is one that can call his player evaluation skills into question, to say the least.

"“I think he’s an All-Star but not a superstar,” Cuban told ESPN."

Westbrook responded to Cuban’s comments the best way he knows how … by nearly dropping a triple-double of 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in 38 minutes as the Thunder eliminated the Mavericks from the playoffs with a series-clinching 118-104 win Monday night.

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Following the game, Kevin Durant had a swift response when a member of the media brought up Cuban’s remarks:

The conversation of which players can be considered superstars in the NBA may vary, but what it comes down to is how the person ranks the players statistics and achievements. Personally, I look at it as how much a player impacts his team along with things like statistics, achievements and the player’s history.

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There is no doubt that guys like

, Durant and

are the first that come to mind when talking about superstars in the NBA today, but Westbrook is also comfortably in that conversation.

Westbrook not only deserves the label of being a superstar, but he is also becoming one of the best players and point guards the NBA has seen in its history. To back that statement up, let’s take a look at some current rankings.

According to basketball-reference, Westbrook ranks 24th in NBA history with a 22.88 PER, 35th in points per game with 21.46, 18th in assists with 7.59, and 10th in assists percentage with 39.23.

If you still aren’t convinced, Westbrook tallied 18 triple-doubles this season, which is the most the NBA has seen since Magic Johnson in 1981-82.

These aren’t statistics that put Westbrook in the conversation of being a superstar in today’s game, they are numbers that can build a strong argument stating that by the time Westbrook hangs it up, he could very well be considered an all-time great at the point guard position.

The scary thing about all this is Westbrook just reaching the peak of his prime. Next season will be his ninth in the NBA and he will turn 28 in November. With his freakish athleticism, a motor that doesn’t seem to ever stop and the intensity he plays with night in and night out, it’s possible that he can keep this pace for another three seasons.

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If that is what ultimately what happens, there will no longer be any question to whether or not Westbrook is a superstar,  the conversations will be where he ranks as an all-time great.