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Unlike a lot of basketball fans, my tryst with the NBA began only 11 years ago in 2008. Coincidentally, the year also earmarked the reinvention and the gradual transfiguration of one of the more relevant franchises of the Western Conference.
The Seattle SuperSonics had just drafted a raw, yet explosive athletic point guard out of UCLA in Russell Westbrook, and he was the first marquee signing of the Oklahoma City Thunder era, the franchise that the Sonics were overhauled into.
There wasn't much to scorn about this team, with the spotlight amicably highlighting two future MVPs - Kevin Durant who was then a star in the making and Westbrook who was, well, what he has always been, a flawed but fierce competitor. There's possibly nothing that can describe the Oklahoma No.0 better than the phrase just mentioned above.
Right from his rookie year, Westbrook has had this audacity to attempt the unthinkable. He would get swatted five times while trying to finish near the rim but would still manage a poster dunk on the sixth try. While most would agree that's a good thing, you can't really be sure of pulling a rabbit out of the hat every time in the NBA, can you?
It's really not tough to recall instances from recent years where Russ tried to play hero ball and flattered to deceive. But then again, that tenacity and that effort in his early years is what made him an elite prospect, besides his ability to juggernaut from coast to coast almost at will. That's what made me and other onlookers gasp in awe almost every time we saw the point guard run the course of the fast break.
Sure, Westbrook had his fair share of brain fades. But it was the grit that mattered. It was the resolve to get things done that was crucial. And he was just acclimatizing to the NBA. He was allowed his quota of mishaps on the court. He was allowed those ludicrous low IQ plays in the fourth quarter. It was only supposed to help him learn, which he did. He learnt from his mistakes. He grew, and so did the franchise.
2011 to 2016 were arguably the best years for OKC in their short history. They made the NBA Finals with a trio of budding stars in their early 20s. Much like with the Golden State Warriors who kickstarted their upward advent around this time, you could see championship caliber in the Thunder's roster.
Durant and Westbrook were already playing like future hall of famers and James Harden wreaked havoc every time he came off the bench. But as lady luck would have it, The Beard turned out to be a case of the one that got away for the Thunder. A sans playoffs season in 2014-15 was enough for Sam Presti and Co. to pull the trigger on head coach Scott Brooks' future as he was fired. He was then replaced by Billy Donovan, a move which is largely responsible for OKC's current situation.
While I have all the respect for Coach Donovan, OKC's story under him has been the case of potential unfulfilled. The Thunder choking a 3-1 lead against the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals was perhaps the most vivid instance of this. Westbrook and Durant never really played out of their skins when the situation needed, nay, demanded them to. The Thunder simply couldn't get things done in the clutch.
At the beginning of the 2016-17 season, Westbrook was staring at a rather arduous situation. Kevin Durant had jumped ships and signed for the Warriors. For the first time in his career, Russ was going to lead a team and have no All-Star caliber player by his side. Without him, OKC would almost certainly end up in one of the lottery spots. Of course, there were the odd doubters catechizing whether Russ would be able to get it done on his own. And then he quashed all wagging tongues with his best season till date, recording 42 triple doubles and averaging a triple double for the season.
Westbrook did the unfathomable once again, by averaging a triple-double in the 2016-17 season and in the process matching a record set by Oscar Robertson. He led OKC to a 10-point comeback in the last 2 minutes against Denver the night he broke Big O's record of 41 triple doubles in a season. That he did so with a deep, deep trey was the icing on the cake. He won the MVP award that season and while many would disagree, he most certainly deserved the honor.
Oklahoma were sent packing in Round 1 of the playoffs but you could still cut Westbrook some slack given the fact that he was playing with a mediocre roster. But that was probably it when it comes to letting the 8x NBA All-Star off the hook.
With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony coming into the fray in 2017, things should have been better. With a poor Melo contract out of the way, a pool of impressive role players, and a returning PG13 in 2018, things should have been better. But that wasn't the case. OKC had a record of 47-35 in 2016-17. They only managed to add one win over the previous year in the next two seasons.
The most worrisome part is the fact that the Thunder had a tremendously improved roster this season as compared to two years ago. Yet, they've only managed a first round playoff exit in three consecutive years now.
So, am I blaming Russell Westbrook for all of it? No. But he surely has had a huge role to play. It doesn't matter what picture the stats paint, OKC by far and large is Westbrook's team. He's the leader and although it pains me to say this as his fan, he's not a good one at that, not right now at least. It's been 11 years since he joined the league but he still portrays an irrational thought process when he plays hero ball despite having enough help.
Russ has never been an elite scorer, shooting a 43.4% clip throughout his career. You'll still see him randomly spot up for that contested three with plenty of time left on the shot clock. Sure he'll make some of those. But do you really want a 30.8% career 3-point shooter to be taking difficult shots down the stretch? You wouldn't, not when George is also on the floor. While this once again highlights Westbrook's mettle and his mental resolve to get things done, he often misses out on that extra pass that would result in a wide open shot.
If you compare rookie Westbrook and the Westbrook of today, there's a lot that hasn't changed. Russ is as impulsive as ever, and still fails to showcase intelligent decision making with the odds not in his favour. He is a much better rebounder of the ball now. He is definitely a more refined floor general. However, he can still go icy cold in his offensive production in the clutch.
We need to address the Billy Donovan situation too who, in my opinion, hasn't really taught much to the 2016-17 MVP. One could easily argue how Westbrook has stagnated as a player since 2017.
There's Paul Geoge but Westbrook is still the most important piece of the OKC roster. Yes he's more ferocious than most NBA players. He has fair share of skills. However, even after playing 11 years of NBA basketball, the 4th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft is yet to get rid of the demons that have haunted him ever since he stepped onto the hardwood for his first game in the league.
If the Thunder are to snap out of the first round playoff exit streak, it's Russell Westbrook who needs to indulge in self-brooding, and come out a better version of himself. Until that happens, expect the Thunder to remain trapped in first round mediocrity despite showing flashes of championship potential.
Guess the Lakers players!
