Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history for 75th anniversary

Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history: No. 59 – Russell Westbrook

Career: 2008 – present

Achievements: 2017 MVP; All-NBA (9x); All-Star (9x); two-time scoring leader; three-time assists leader; 12th in career assists

Russell Westbrook is one of the most polarizing players in modern NBA history, and perhaps throughout all 75 years as well. He is an athletic marvel with an incredible work ethic and a strong competitive fire. Why is he so polarizing?

His supporters point to absolutely historic numbers of points, rebounds and assists. He has racked up 184 career triple-doubles, the most in NBA history. After a player averaged a triple-double for a season just one time in 70 years, Westbrook has done it three times in the last four seasons. He has led the league in scoring twice and assists three times, and his nine All-NBA selections speak for themselves.

On the other hand, Westbrook is something of a stat-hog, pounding the ball and taking copious amounts of shots. He hunts rebounds to the point of stealing them from teammates, and he is famous (or infamous) for waiting to pass the ball until he is confident his teammate will get him an assist. He is a terrible off-ball player and is wildly inconsistent on defense.

Wherever you come down on Westbrook, the sheer statistical volume of his per-game numbers demands a place somewhere on this list.