NBA: It’s been a special year for point guards wearing No. 4

Russell Westbrook has been sensational in his first NBA season with the Washington Wizards

Battling through the aftermath of a positive COVID-19 test and a nagging quad injury, Russell Westbrook’s playoff run with the Houston Rockets last season was understandably far from his best work. When word came out that Westbrook wanted out of Houston after his lone season there, one anonymous Eastern Conference general manager went as far as to say that the former MVP’s trade value might be “nonexistent.”

Still, the franchise managed to trade the guard to the Washington Wizards in exchange for John Wall and a future draft pick. Whether or not Westbrook would retain his iconic No. 0 was a hot topic of discussion heading into the season. Gilbert Arenas, who donned the number on his jersey for the better part of eight seasons with the Wizards, gave the guard his blessing, but Westbrook decided to throw it back to his high school days and rock the No. 4 with his new team.

In an interview with Air Jordan in 2017, Westbrook opened up about the number that has always resonated well with him:

"“My favorite number has always been four, because that’s the number of people in my family – my little brother, my mom and my dad. Obviously my family has expanded beyond four now… My family is always with me for every milestone. Even if they aren’t there physically, I talk to them before and after each game and I know they are watching and with me in spirit. There is not one person in my family that pushed me more than another, they all push me and they all have had an impact on me.”"

After many believed his best days were far behind him, the 32-year-old has silenced his critics as he is having another fantastic season by averaging 21.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and an astounding 11.2 assists per game. Following his otherworldly stat line of 14 points, 21 rebounds, and 24 assists in Washington’s victory Monday, Westbrook will now officially average a triple-double for an entire season for the fourth time in his career, which is certainly something to behold.

The guard currently sits at 178 triple-doubles for his career, just three off of the all-time leader in Oscar Robertson with 181. With seven regular season games left to play, it seems inevitable that Westbrook will surpass that historic mark before the season ends.

After it seemed like the Wizards were destined to miss the playoffs early on, they have come roaring back and currently sit at 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 30-35 record. Winning 13 of their last 16 games, Washington occupies that final play-in spot, and they could be a team that no one wants to face due to the deadly tandem Westbrook and All-Star teammate Bradley Beal.