Russell Westbrook has a tendency to dominate the ball for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yet, there are signs that the point guard is slowly shifting his style of play.
Russell Westbrook is many things. When he isn’t leading the post-Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder, he is stacking All-NBA plaques next his MVP award. So why does he continue to be one of the more polarizing players across the league?
There is no doubt that Westbrook possesses elite talent. An athletic anomaly who will live on forever in YouTube highlights, the Thunder’s point guard can take over a game with sheer force. Despite his lethal combination of agility, explosiveness and tenacity, Westbrook’s teams have had some recent shortcomings.
The last two postseasons for the Oklahoma City Thunder have been somewhat of a disappointment. Sure, their last two opponents have been tough squads, but first round exits surely do not meet expectations. There has been another type of shortcoming in OKC, however.
Russell Westbrook has not been able to maximize the talent general manager Sam Presti provides him. Superb at identifying highly skilled players, Presti has drafted or acquired multiple All-Stars, three total MVP award winners, and three All-Defensive team recipients.
Consider some of his past additions. With the Thunder, Carmelo Anthony had arguably his worst season as a professional. The All-NBA version of Victor Oladipo never emerged in Oklahoma. Dion Waiters had to leave the Thunder in order to resurrect his career.
Yet, one addition stands out. Paul George had an incredible first season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He seemed to complement Westbrook on both ends of the floor. How could players like Oladipo, Anthony and Waiters fail to reach their potential next to Westbrook, while Paul George thrived?
By comparing these four players and their tenures in Oklahoma City, we can uncover the impact Westbrook’s playing style has on his teammates. More importantly, it will tell us how Westbrook has recently changed as a player and give us a glimpse into the future of the Thunder.