Russell Westbrook is definitely a current top-10 NBA player

3. Westbrook’s Athleticism

There’s not a better athlete in the NBA then Westbrook. His quickness and explosiveness allow him to easily blow by defenders and get to the rim at will. He’s not a great shooter, but Russ has proven that you do not have to be a great shooter to be an elite player in the league.

Westbrook is shooting a career-high 47.4 percent from the field this season which is largely due to the change he made to his offensive game when he joined the Houston Rockets. As a member of the Rockets, he committed to using his athleticism to take more high-percentage shots with his biggest focus on taking fewer 3-pointers per game.

This season, Westbrook is averaging 3.8 3-point attempts per game, nearly two fewer attempts than he averaged last season. This has allowed him to take an average of 18.8 two-point shots which is almost four more than last season.

As a result, Westbrook’s field goal percentage has increased by 4.6 percent from last season and has increased his points per game from 22.9 during the 2018-2019 season to 27.5 points this season.

Before the NBA season was paused, Westbrook was on a streak of 34 games where he scored 20 or more points on 51.3 percent shooting.

You can’t say Westbrook is not a top 10 player because he is an inefficient shooter. Although he is not an elite shooter, he uses his athleticism to his advantage and is one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons.