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Russell Westbrook was amongst the 85 players in NBA history pegged as the greatest 75 players of all-time. Although he isn't having the best of times with his move to the LA Lakers, he has had one of the most decorated individual careers without a title.
On the recently released Russell Westbrook episode of the 75 stories by NBA made in honor of the NBA greatest 75 players of all-time. Jamal Crawford took the lead, singing the praises of the nine-time All-Star, which was followed by former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Steven Adams. Others included former Houston Rockets teammate Clint Capela and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.
Young revealed how impactful Westbrook was to him growing up in Oklahoma. The Hawks guard sees the latter as a role model, especially when Young was going "through high school and college."
"Russ is a big role model to me from afar, growing up in Oklahoma and spending most of his career there. He's been a big role model to me, going through high school and college."
He also talked about his admiration for Westbrook's mentality and style of play, as well as his enthusiasm to give it his all every single night on the court.
"Just his mentality and the way he plays, he just doesn't treat any night easy. He takes every night and treats it like his last and used to play as hard and I think just having that mindset and going out there and playing that way is something I try to instill in myself."
Russell Westbrook's career in the NBA through a lens
Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics), Russell Westbrook was the 4th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft. He went on to spend 11 seasons with the Thunder, solidifying himself as a franchise legend.
During his time with the Thunder, he was selected to eight All-Star games, leading the league in assists (2018 and 2019) and scoring in 2015 and 2017. He was also awarded the 2017 NBA MVP and was the All-Star MVP in 2015 and 2016. He led the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals but lost the title to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
His short stay with the Houston Rockets wasn't without its glam and top quality displays. Russell Westbrook led the Rockets to the playoff semifinals but was defeated by the LA Lakers, who went on to win the title.
Before joining the Lakers, Westbrook featured for the Washington Wizards during the NBA bubble season. He led the league in assists, registering 11.7 assists per game, his highest yet. Meanwhile, he led the Wizards in assists, rebounds and steals, while placing second in points, field goals, two-pointers and free throws.
Guess the Lakers players!
