The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2010s, ranked
By Cal Durrett
7) Russell Westbrook
Future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook spent the entirety of the 2010s with the Oklahoma City Thunder and was crucial to their success. Westbrook was drafted in 2008, two years after Kevin Durant and the pairing quickly proved to be one of the best one-two punches in NBA history. In just their third season together, they led the Thunder to the Western Conference Finals, then the NBA Finals the following season.
Although they would come up short, Westbrook would help lead them to a third NBA Finals in 2016 by nearly knocking off the 73-9 Golden State Warriors. That turned out to be Durant's last season with the Thunder after he joined Golden State, leaving Westbrook behind. Nevertheless, Westbrook still led Oklahoma City to the playoffs in each of the final two seasons of the decade.
Overall, in 739 games, Westbrook averaged a stellar 23.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Not only that, but Westbrook is among the most decorated players of the decade, making eight all-star teams, eight all-NBA teams, and winning MVP. He also has the distinction of being the only player in the decade to average a triple double in a single season, earning him a top-10 spot in these rankings.