Hoops Habit mock draft for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook has become such a hot topic of discussion among NBA debaters. One the one hand, the dude has a paltry shooting line of just .418/.249/.645 to go along with 4.5 turnovers per game. On the other, he’s on pace to average a triple-double for the third straight season, leading the league in assists as well. That’s no easy feat, despite what some would suggest.
As impressive as I believe his triple-double prowess to be, I was not looking to select Westbrook for the cons listed above, but when he fell as low as he did, I had to take advantage of this golden opportunity.
Surrounded by other ball-handlers, Westbrook won’t be tasked with running an entire offensive system. Instead, he can play in spurts at a time, providing the endless supply of energy that makes him so elite — a spark plug off the bench if you will.
This is a guy who’s had quite a bit of success at the annual ASG, with consecutive MVP outings in 2015 and 2016. Given his role on the team, he likely won’t make it a third, but he’ll do fine injecting his dynamic play whenever he enters the game with a relentless pursuit of the rim and unbridled confidence no matter the defender.