Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook
Westbrook shooting over John Wall of the Washington Wizards in 2017.
No. 0 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Position Point guard
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1988-11-12) November 12, 1988
Long Beach, California
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight 200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school Leuzinger (Lawndale, California)
College UCLA (2006–2008)
NBA draft 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Playing career 2008–present
Career history
2008–present Oklahoma City Thunder
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
2012 LondonTeam competition
World Cup
2010 Turkey Team competition

Russell Westbrook III[1] (born November 12, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a seven-time NBA All-Star, and a two-time NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, winning consecutive awards in 2015 and 2016. He is also a seven-time All-NBA Team member and led the league in scoring in 2014–15 and 2016–17. In 2017, Westbrook became one of two players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, along with Oscar Robertson in 1962. He also set a record for the most triple-doubles in a season, with 42.[2] He was subsequently named the 2016–17 NBA Most Valuable Player. This feat was repeated the following season when he again averaged a triple-double across 80 games.[3] In 2017–18, he also led the league in assists for the first time.

Westbrook played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and earned third-team all-conference honors in the Pac-10. He was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who then relocated to Oklahoma City six days later. Westbrook has represented the United States national team twice, winning gold medals in the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics.

Early life

Westbrook was born in Long Beach, California, to Russell Westbrook Jr. and Shannon Horton. He has a younger brother named Raynard.[4] Growing up in Hawthorne,[5][6][7] Westbrook and his best friend, Khelcey Barrs III, had hopes of going to UCLA and playing together.[8] However, in May 2004, Barrs died from an enlarged heart during a pickup game.[9][10]

High school career

Westbrook entered Leuzinger High School as a point guard who stood only 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall and weighed only 140 pounds (64 kg), although he did have large (size-14) feet. He did not start on his school's varsity team until his junior year,[10] and did not receive his first college recruiting letter until the summer before his senior year. Westbrook grew to his adult height of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) that same summer.[11][12]

During his senior year, Westbrook averaged 25.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals, and 2.3 assists and helped lead them to a 25-4 record. That same season, he recorded 14 double-doubles, scored 30 or more points on eight separate occasions, and registered a career-best 51 points at Carson on January 6, 2006. Westbrook did not attract much attention from top college basketball programs until head coach Ben Howland offered him a scholarship to play for the UCLA Bruins after Jordan Farmar declared for the NBA draft.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Russell Westbrook
PG		 Lawndale, California Leuzinger High 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Apr 19, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 66 (national); 21 (school)
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2006 UCLA Basketball Commitment List". Rivals.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  • "2006 UCLA College Basketball Team Recruiting Prospects". Scout.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  • "2006 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.

    College career

    Westbrook playing defense on USC's O. J. Mayo

    Westbrook wore number 0 throughout his career at UCLA. As a freshman in 2006–07, he played as a back up to Darren Collison and was primarily used as a defender and energy player off the bench. Westbrook averaged 3.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists on the year. The next season, Collison was injured and Westbrook was named the starter. He finished the season averaging 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals. At the end of the year, he was named All-Pac-10 Third Team and won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

    UCLA advanced to the Final Four during each of Westbrook's seasons with the team. In 2007, they lost to eventual national champion Florida, 76–66 and in 2008, they lost 78–63 to Memphis. After two years at UCLA, he decided to forgo his final two years and enter the 2008 NBA draft.[13]

    Professional career

    Oklahoma City Thunder (2008–present)

    Rookie and first playoffs (2008–10)

    Westbrook (left) looks at then-teammate Kevin Durant in the post against Boston in 2010.

    Westbrook was selected 4th overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics (which then relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder six days later). He signed with the team on July 5, 2008.[14] On March 2, 2009, Westbrook recorded his first career triple double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He was the first rookie since Chris Paul and the third rookie in Sonics/Thunder franchise history (Art Harris and Gary Payton) to record a triple-double.[15]

    Westbrook averaged 15.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on the season. He finished fourth in the 2008–09 NBA Rookie of the Year voting behind Rookie of the Year winner Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls), O. J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies) and Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets).[16] He was named to the NBA's NBA All-Rookie First Team.

    In his second year, and first season as a full-time starter, Westbrook went on to average 16.1 points, 8.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on the season. On April 4, 2010, he recorded 10 points and a career-high 16 assists in a 116-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder made a huge turnaround by more than doubling their wins from the previous season and qualified for the playoffs with a 50–32 record. However, the Thunder were eliminated by the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. In the series, Westbrook stepped up his play from the regular season, averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 3.2 steals.

    All-Star and playoff success (2010–13)

    Westbrook in March 2011

    On November 26, 2010, Westbrook scored a then-career-high 43 points against the Indiana Pacers.[17] On December 1, 2010, he scored 38 points with 9 assists and achieved a new career-high of 15 rebounds in a triple-overtime win over the New Jersey Nets. Westbrook was selected by the NBA head coaches to be a Western Conference reserve for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.[18] This was his first all-star appearance. Westbrook finished the season with averages of 21.9 points, 8.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the first time. The Thunder finished the season at 55–27 and lost to the eventual world champion Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Westbrook averaged 23.8 points, 6.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds in the playoffs.

    In the 2011–12 season, Westbrook was again selected by the coaches to participate in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. On March 23, 2012, he scored a career-high 45 points in a 149–140 double overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 23.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals for the lockout-shortened season and was voted to the All-NBA Second Team for the second year in a row. Westbrook helped lead the Thunder to the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise relocated but OKC would lose in five games to the Miami Heat. On June 12, in game 1 of the Finals, Westbrook recorded 27 points and 11 assists in a 105-94 victory. He joined Michael Jordan as the only players with 25+ points and 10+ assists in their NBA Finals debut. In a game 4 loss, Westbrook scored a playoff career high 43 points.[19]

    Westbrook drives to the basket in March 2011

    Westbrook was once again selected for the NBA All-Star Game. He finished the 2012–13 season averaging 23.2 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game.[20] Westbrook helped lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to the playoffs and the #1 seed in the Western Conference. They would go on to face the 8th seed Houston Rockets in the first round. On April 25, 2013, in the second game of the series, Westbrook injured his right knee when Rockets guard Patrick Beverley collided with him in an attempt to steal the ball. Although Westbrook was clearly bothered by the injury, he would continue playing and finished the game with 29 points. It was then revealed the next day that he had suffered a slight tear in his right meniscus.[21] He had surgery on April 27, 2013, and was declared out for the rest of the playoffs.[22] Without Westbrook, the Thunder defeated the Rockets in 6 games but fell to the Memphis Grizzlies in 5 games in the next round. Westbrook was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the third consecutive year.

    Injury and comeback (2013–15)

    Prior to the start of the 2013–14 season, Westbrook had a second surgery on his right knee, which set back his return to basketball.[23] Despite reports that he would miss the first two weeks of the regular season, Westbrook would miss only the first two games. On December 25, 2013, Westbrook recorded 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists as Oklahoma City beat the New York Knicks 123-94. This was just the eighth triple-double on Christmas Day in NBA history. The win was also the largest margin of victory in a Christmas Day game in NBA history.[24] On the day after his Christmas-day game, it was announced that Westbrook would undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and would be out until after the All-Star break.[25] During this time, The Thunder were able to remain competitive despite his absence due mainly to Kevin Durant's stellar play. Westbrook returned to the lineup on February 20, 2014. He played the rest of the season on limited minutes and sat out the second night of back-to-backs.

    On March 4, 2014, Westbrook recorded his second triple-double of the season. He recorded 13 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds, in just 20 minutes in a 125–92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. This was the second fastest recorded triple-double in NBA history.[26] Westbrook and the Thunder finished with a 59-23 record earning the #2 seed in the Western Conference. They advanced to the Western Conference Finals where they faced the San Antonio Spurs. On May 27, 2014, in a game 4 victory, Westbrook recorded 40 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists and 5 steals. In doing so, he joined Michael Jordan as the only other player to post those numbers in a playoff game. The Thunder lost the series to the eventual NBA champion Spurs in six games. Westbrook averaged 26.7 points, 8.1 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in the postseason, and became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1964 to average at least 26 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in the playoffs.

    Westbrook goes up for a layup against Cleveland in 2015

    After scoring 38 points in a 106–89 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2014–15 season opener, Westbrook suffered a small fracture of the second metacarpal in his right hand the following game against the Los Angeles Clippers and subsequently missed 14 games with the injury.[27] He joined Kevin Durant on the sidelines after Durant fractured his right foot during preseason and was ruled out for six to eight weeks. With the pair both inactive for the start of the season, the Thunder dropped to a 4–12 record prior to Westbrook's return on November 28 against the New York Knicks. In Westbrook's first game back, he led the Thunder to a win over the Knicks with 32 points. Durant returned the following game to face the New Orleans Pelicans, as the pair helped the Thunder go on a seven-game winning streak to bring the Thunder back into playoff contention.[28] On January 16, 2015, Westbrook recorded his ninth career triple-double with 17 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high 17 assists in a 127–115 win over the Golden State Warriors,[29] becoming just the fifth player in NBA history to record a stat line of 15–15–15 in a game.[30]

    After tying a career-high 45 points on February 4, 2015 in a 102–91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans,[31] Westbrook broke that mark to score a new career-high of 48 points two days later, this time in a 116–113 loss to the Pelicans.[32] After being injured the previous year, Westbrook returned to the All-Star game in 2015. He tallied 41 points, and was named the All-Star MVP. He scored 27 points in 11 minutes in the first half, setting an All-Star record for points in a half, and finished one point shy of the All-Star game record set by Wilt Chamberlain (42) in 1962.[33] On February 22, Westbrook recorded 21 points and tied a career-high 17 assists in a 119–94 win over the Denver Nuggets.[34] Two days later, he recorded 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 105–92 win over the Indiana Pacers. In doing so he claimed his third triple-double of the season and 11th of his career despite resting for the entire fourth quarter.[35] On February 27, in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Westbrook recorded 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to become the first player to have three straight triple-doubles since LeBron James did so in 2009.[36] Westbrook finished the month of February averaging 31.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game,[37] and became just the second player in NBA history to average 30 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists per game for a calendar month with at least 10 games played, joining Robertson, who accomplished the feat multiple times.[38]

    On March 4, Westbrook set career-highs with 49 points and 16 rebounds, and added 10 assists for his fourth consecutive triple-double, helping the Thunder defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 123–118 in overtime. He subsequently became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989 to have four consecutive triple-doubles, and the first since Jordan that year to have back-to-back triple-doubles with at least 40 points. It was also the most points by any player with a triple-double since Larry Bird also scored 49 in 1992.[39] His streak came to an end the following night against the Chicago Bulls as he recorded 43 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in a 105–108 loss.[40] On March 8, he recorded his fifth triple-double in six games to help the Thunder defeat the Toronto Raptors, 108–104. He had 30 points, matched a career-high with 17 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds for his seventh triple-double of the season and 15th of his career.[41] In much too similar fashion, Westbrook recorded yet another triple-double on March 13 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, collecting his sixth in eight games and scored 15 of his 29 points (with 12 assists and 10 rebounds) in the fourth quarter, helping the Thunder pull away for a 113–99 win.[42] He went on to record three more triple-doubles to finish the season.[43][44][45] On April 12, he scored a career-high 54 points on 21-of-43 shooting in a losing effort to the Indiana Pacers.[46] He went on to help the Thunder win the final two games of the 2014–15 season, but it wasn't enough to position the Thunder in the playoffs, as they finished ninth in the West with a 45–37 record.

    Coming up short (2015–16)

    To begin the 2015–16 season, Westbrook and Kevin Durant both dropped 40 points against the Orlando Magic on October 30, becoming the first teammates in NBA history to do so multiple times, having previously done it in 2012.[47][48] In December against Denver, they became the first teammates to each have at least 25 points and 10 assists in a regulation game since 1996.[49] On January 4, he was named Western Conference co-Player of the Month for December alongside Durant.[50]

    Westbrook defending Damian Lillard in January 2016.

    On January 20, 2016, Westbrook recorded 16 points, 15 assists, eight rebounds, and five steals against the Charlotte Hornets, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history with at least 15 points, 15 assists, five rebounds and five steals in a game.[51][52] On February 3, he recorded his third straight triple-double and eighth of the season with 24 points, a career-high 19 rebounds and 14 assists in a 117–114 win over the Orland Magic.[53] Westbrook was voted to start in his first All-Star Game in 2016,[54] and he earned his second MVP award after a 196–173 win by the West. He recorded 31 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and five steals in 22 minutes, and became the first player in All-Star history to win consecutive MVPs outright. Bob Pettit is the other player to have won two back-to-back awards, winning in 1958 and sharing it with Elgin Baylor in 1959.[55] On March 9, he recorded his 11th triple-double of the season with 25 points, a career-high 20 assists and 11 rebounds in a 120–108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The stat line marked the NBA's first triple-double with at least 25 points, 20 assists and 10 rebounds since Magic Johnson did it for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988, and the first with at least 20 points and 20 assists since Rod Strickland did it for the Washington Wizards in 1998.[56] On March 22, he recorded his 15th triple-double of the season and 34th of his career with 21 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a 111–107 win over the Houston Rockets, setting the most triple-doubles by a player in a season since 1988–89, when Magic Johnson had 17 and Michael Jordan had 15. It was also Westbrook's sixth triple-double in March, the most by a player in a calendar month since Jordan had seven in April 1989.[57] On April 11, with his 18th triple-double of the season in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers,[58][59] he tied Magic Johnson (1981–82) for the most in a single season in the past 50 seasons.[60]

    In the playoffs, Westbrook helped guide the Thunder past the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, and then the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. In the Western Conference Finals, they faced the defending champion Golden State Warriors, and took home court advantage after stealing Game 1 of the series. With the series tied at 1–1 after Game 2, the Thunder returned home and took a 3–1 advantage with two home wins. In Game 4, Westbrook recorded his fifth career playoff triple-double with 36 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a 118–94 win.[61] Despite going up 3–1 in the series, the Thunder were defeated 4–3 by the Warriors to bow out of the playoffs.

    MVP and first triple-double season (2016–17)

    Westbrook with André Roberson.

    Following the off-season departure of Kevin Durant, trade speculation began swirling around Westbrook, with his contract set to expire in 2017. The Thunder were determined to keep Westbrook and held off all trade talks in order to work out an extension.[62] On August 4, 2016, Westbrook signed a three-year, $85.7 million contract extension with the Thunder.[63][64] In the Thunder's second game of 2016–17 on October 28, Westbrook recorded his 38th career regular-season triple-double with 51 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 113–110 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns, marking the first 50-point triple-double since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had one in 1975. Westbrook also took a career-high 44 shots.[65] Two days later, he recorded 33 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists in a 113–96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, joining Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Jerry Lucas as the only players in NBA history with two triple-doubles in the first three games of a season.[66] On November 30, he recorded his fourth straight triple-double with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in a 126–115 overtime win over the Washington Wizards, becoming just the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double heading into December (joining Robertson).[67] He extended that streak to seven straight on December 9 with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 102–99 loss to the Houston Rockets—the longest triple-double streak since Michael Jordan had seven straight in 1989.[68]

    Forty-one games into the season, Westbrook was averaging 30.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game, marking the latest anyone had averaged a triple-double since Robertson in 1966–67, when he became the first player to average a triple-double for an entire season (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists).[69] On January 15, 2017, Westbrook had 36 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 20th triple-double of the season, as he helped the Thunder defeat the Sacramento Kings 122–118.[70] He joined Robertson (five times) and Wilt Chamberlain (twice) as the only players in NBA history to record 20 triple-doubles in a season.[71] His 21st triple-double of the season came on January 18 in a loss to former teammate Durant and the Golden State Warriors.[72] On January 23, Westbrook hit a pull-up jumper with 1.4 seconds left to lift the Thunder to a 97–95 win over the Utah Jazz. He finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his 22nd triple-double of the season and No. 59 for his career, tying Larry Bird for fifth on the career list.[73] Two days later, he had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a 114–105 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, thus passing Bird with his 60th career triple-double.[74] Heading into All-Star Weekend, Westbrook was averaging 31.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists in 57 games.[75] Westbrook went on to record three straight triple-doubles coming out of the All-Star break, giving him 67 for his career and 30 on the season.[76] On March 7, Westbrook's career-high 58 points wasn't enough to lift the Thunder over the Portland Trail Blazers, losing 126–121.[77] His 31st triple-double of the season, which came on March 9 against the San Antonio Spurs, matched Wilt Chamberlain's 1967–68 campaign for the second-most in a season.[78] He surpassed Chamberlain's record with his 32nd triple-double on March 11 against the Jazz.[79] Westbrook went on to tie Robertson's single-season record of 41 triple-doubles on April 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Westbrook also moved into a tie with Chamberlain for fourth on the career list with his 78th triple-double.[80] Three days later, he joined Robertson (in 1961–62) as the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, needing just six assists against the Phoenix Suns to clinch the triple-double average.[81] His historic 42nd triple-double, to break Robertson's record of most triple-doubles in a season, came in a 106–105 away victory against the Denver Nuggets on April 9. Westbrook scored 18 of his 50 points in the last five minutes, including a 36-foot game-winning buzzer-beater, to overcome a 14-point deficit. As a result, Westbrook moved into fourth place for most triple-doubles in NBA history with 79, surpassing Chamberlain's 78.[82] It was his third career 50-point triple-double, all of which came in 2016–17, the most by any player in NBA history.[83] The Thunder finished the regular season with a 47–35 record and entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed.

    On April 19, in Game 2 of the Thunder's first-round playoff series against the Rockets, Westbrook had 51 points in the highest-scoring triple-double in playoff history. Westbrook set a franchise playoff scoring record and added 13 assists and 10 rebounds, marking his sixth career playoff triple-double. Despite his efforts, the Thunder lost 115–111 to go down 2–0 in the series.[84] In Game 4 four days later, Westbrook had 35 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, but could not lead the Thunder to a win, as they went down 3–1 in the series with a 113–109 loss. Westbrook joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to claim three consecutive playoff triple-doubles.[85] With a loss to the Rockets in Game 5, the Thunder bowed out of the playoffs with a 4–1 series defeat. Westbrook had 47 points in Game 5 and came up just one assist shy of his fourth straight triple-double.[86] On June 26, 2017, he was named the recipient of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award at the first-ever NBA Awards Show.[87]

    Second triple-double season (2017–18)

    On September 29, 2017, Westbrook signed a five-year, $205 million contract extension with the Thunder. The deal starts with the 2018–19 season and delivers Westbrook the biggest guaranteed contract in NBA history—six seasons and $233 million through 2022–23. It includes a player option on the 2022–23 season.[88][89] Continuing on from his historic 2016–17 season, Westbrook had a triple-double in the Thunder's season opener against the New York Knicks on October 19. Playing alongside new All-Star teammates Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, Westbrook had 21 points, 16 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 105–84 win.[90] On October 28, he had 12 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in a 101–69 win over the Chicago Bulls, becoming the first player in league history to record a triple-double against 29 different opponents—Westbrook had recorded a triple-double against every NBA opponent except for the Bulls prior to October 28.[91] On December 15, he recorded his 10th triple-double of the season with 27 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists in a 119–117 triple overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers.[92] After starting the season with an 8–12 record, the Thunder improved to 20–15 with a 124–107 win over the Toronto Raptors on December 27. Westbrook had 30 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds against the Raptors, as the Thunder won their sixth straight game.[93] Two days later, he recorded 40 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in a 97–95 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. During the game, Westbrook scored his 16,000th career point, making him the 112th NBA player to do so.[94] On January 20, Westbrook had 23 and 20 assists in a 148–124 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.[95] On January 25, he scored a season-high 46 points in a 121–112 win over the Washington Wizards.[96] On February 1, Westbrook had 21 assists, one shy of his career high, to go with 20 points and nine rebounds in a 127–124 loss to the Denver Nuggets.[97] On February 14, he recorded his 17th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a 121–114 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.[98] On March 13, he recorded 32 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds in a 119–107 win over the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the fourth player in NBA history to record 100 triple-doubles, joining Oscar Robertson (181 triple-doubles), Magic Johnson (138) and Jason Kidd (107). He became the third-fastest player to reach the milestone—Robertson needed 277 games, Johnson needed 656 games, and Westbrook needed 736 games.[99] On April 3, he had 44 points and 16 rebounds in a 111–107 loss to the Warriors.[100] On April 9, he recorded his 25th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a 115–93 win over the Miami Heat, thus clinching a playoff spot.[101] Two days later, in the regular season finale against the Grizzlies, Westbrook clinched a triple-double average for the second straight season. He entered the night needing 16 rebounds to clinch the triple-double average. He pulled down his 16th rebound with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter and received a standing ovation. He finished with just six points, but had a career-high 20 rebounds and 19 assists.[102] In Game 5 of the Thunder's first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz, Westbrook scored 33 of his 45 points in the second half, as Oklahoma City rallied from 25 points down to fight off elimination and beat the Jazz 107–99. He also had 15 rebounds and seven assists.[103] In Game 6, Westbrook scored 46 points in a 96–91 loss, as the Thunder bowed out of the playoffs with a 4–2 defeat.[104]

    National team career

    Westbrook with Team USA in 2012

    In 2010, he was selected to the FIBA World Championship team in Istanbul, Turkey. On a team without an All-Star or a single member from its 2008 Olympic gold-medal team, Westbrook was considered a star on the team.[105] The 2010 team relied heavily on a small lineup,[106] and Westbrook finished in the top five on the team in minutes per game, and top three in points and assists per game. Team USA went 9-0 to win its first World Championship since 1994.[107] The win automatically qualified Team USA for the 2012 Olympics in London, and they overtook Argentina for the No. 1 world ranking.[108]

    Westbrook was also selected to play for the 2012 Summer Olympic team in London, where he won a second gold medal. He declined an invitation to join the 2016 Olympic team.[109]

    Player profile

    Westbrook dribbling in 2015.

    Standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.91 m) and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), Westbrook is a point guard who has established himself as one of the most athletic players in NBA history. He is also widely known for playing at a high level of intensity and for being able to keep that intensity for the majority of his playing time.[110] Westbrook will often look to push the pace of the game for transition points and attack the basket.[111] Though attacking the rim is his forte, he will frequently pull up for medium range jump shots.[112][113] Westbrook regularly creates good scoring opportunities for his teammates, resulting in him averaging over seven assists per game for his career.[114][115][116] Westbrook is widely recognized as one of the best all-around players in the NBA, having recorded 112 triple-doubles over his career (104 regular season, 8 playoff).[117] His 104 regular season triple-doubles is ranked fourth-most all-time and his eight playoff triple-doubles is tied for seventh-most all-time.[118] Forty-two of his 104 regular season triple-doubles came during the 2016–17 season, breaking Oscar Robertson's single-season record of 41, a record he set during the 1961–62 season. He subsequently joined Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season.[81] The following season saw Westbrook clinch a triple-double average for the second straight season, as he had 25 triple-doubles in 2017–18.[117] Westbrook's three-point shooting and turnovers are often brought to attention when pundits criticize his game. He averages 30% on three-point field goal attempts and 3.9 turnovers a game for his career.[119][120]

    Career statistics

    Legend
      GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
     FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
     RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
     BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
    * Led the league

    NBA

    Regular season

    Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
    2008–09 Oklahoma City 826532.5.398.271.8154.95.31.3.215.3
    2009–10 Oklahoma City 828234.3.418.221.7804.98.01.3.416.1
    2010–11 Oklahoma City 828234.7.442.330.8424.68.21.9.421.9
    2011–12 Oklahoma City 666635.3.457.316.8234.65.51.7.323.6
    2012–13 Oklahoma City 828234.9.438.323.8005.27.41.8.323.2
    2013–14 Oklahoma City 464630.7.437.318.8265.76.91.9.221.8
    2014–15 Oklahoma City 676734.4.426.299.8357.38.62.1.228.1*
    2015–16 Oklahoma City 808034.4.454.296.8127.810.42.0.323.5
    2016–17 Oklahoma City 818134.6.425.343.84510.710.41.6.431.6*
    2017–18 Oklahoma City 808036.4.449.298.73710.110.3*1.8.325.4
    Career 74873134.4.435.311.8146.68.21.7.323.0
    All-Star 7222.3.546.396.6155.74.01.7.024.4

    Playoffs

    Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
    2010 Oklahoma City 6635.3.473.417.8426.06.01.7.220.5
    2011 Oklahoma City 171737.5.394.292.8525.46.41.4.423.8
    2012 Oklahoma City 202038.4.435.277.8025.55.81.6.423.1
    2013 Oklahoma City 2234.0.415.222.8576.57.03.0.024.0
    2014 Oklahoma City 191938.7.420.280.8847.38.12.2.326.7
    2016 Oklahoma City 181837.4.405.324.8296.911.02.6.126.0
    2017 Oklahoma City 5538.8.388.265.80011.610.82.4.437.4
    2018 Oklahoma City 6639.2.398.357.82512.07.51.5.029.3
    Career 939337.9.413.300.8406.97.81.9.325.5

    College

    Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
    2006–07 UCLA 3619.0.457.409.548.8.7.4.03.4
    2007–08 UCLA 393433.8.465.338.7133.94.31.6.212.7
    Career 753521.9.464.354.6852.42.51.0.18.3

    Awards and honors

    NBA

    College

    High school

    • First-team All-CIF Division I
    • Third-team All-State
    • 2× Most Valuable Player of the Bay League

    Endorsements

    In October 2012, Westbrook signed with the Jordan Brand.[123] His first commercial was with the Jordan Brand and Champs in which a high school athlete purchased Jordan gear from Champs and transformed into Westbrook and won a state championship.[124]

    In November 2013, Westbrook signed with Kings and Jaxs Boxer Briefs. He stated that, "I have always loved fashion so working with Kings & Jaxs was a natural fit as we both have a fearless and creative approach to style."[125]

    In February 2015, Westbrook was named Marketing Creative Director of the denim brand True Religion[126] and signed with PepsiCo to become the global face of Mountain Dew Kickstart.[127]

    Personal life

    Westbrook wears a "KB3" wristband and has "KB3" on his sneakers in honor of his childhood friend Khelcey Barrs.[10][128]

    On August 29, 2015, Westbrook married his college sweetheart Nina Earl.[129] The couple's first child, a boy named Noah Russell Westbrook, was born on May 16, 2017.[130]

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Anderson, Sam (February 1, 2017). "The Misunderstood Genius of Russell Westbrook". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
    2. ↑ MacMahon, Tim (April 9, 2017). "Russell Westbrook caps historic season with 42nd triple-double". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
    3. ↑ Gallo, Nick (April 11, 2018). "The New Standard: Westbrook Averages a Triple-Double Again". NBA.com. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
    4. ↑ Pandian, Ananth (May 11, 2015). "LOOK: Westbrook hands his brother diploma during college graduation". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
    5. ↑ "Player Bio: Russell Westbrook". uclabruins.com. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
    6. ↑ Tramel, Berry (March 14, 2013). "Russell Westbrook needs to take over". The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013.
    7. ↑ Guardabascio, Mike (July 23, 2012). "Russell Westbrook's Story Is Quintessential Long Beach". gazettes.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013.
    8. ↑ "Russell Westbrook's Touching KB3 Story An LA Story". christianpost.com. October 28, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
    9. ↑ "Leuzinger Hoops Star Collapses, Dies". Long Beach Press-Telegram. May 13, 2004. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
    10. 1 2 3 Markazi, Arash (April 30, 2010). "Westbrook: The honor guard". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
    11. ↑ "Boys' basketball: Leuzinger is school of late bloomers". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. July 23, 2009. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    12. ↑ "Russell Westbrook". Facebook. November 12, 1988. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    13. ↑ "Russell Westbrook Draft 2008 Profile". NBA.com. November 12, 1988. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
    14. ↑ "Westbrook, White sign rookie deals with SuperSonics". ESPN. July 5, 2008. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
    15. ↑ "ESPN – Notes, Stats and Trends from Research March 3, 2009". Insider.espn.go.com. March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    16. ↑ Bulls' Rose takes home Rookie of Year Award Archived April 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine., NBA.com, April 22, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
    17. ↑ "Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers Box Score, November 26, 2010". Basketball-Reference.com. November 26, 2010. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    18. ↑ "Russell Westbrook selected to Western Conference All-Star team | Daily Thunder.com". dailythunder.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
    19. ↑ ESPN (2012). Heat overcome Russell Westbrook's 43 points, take 3-1 Finals lead. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
    20. ↑ "Russell Westbrook Career Stats". NBA.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
    21. ↑ "Thunder's Russell Westbrook out of playoff run indefinitely with knee injury, needs surgery". FOX News. April 26, 2013.
    22. ↑ "Westbrook has knee surgery, will miss rest of season".
    23. ↑ Golliver, Ben (October 1, 2013). "Thunder's Russell Westbrook out first 4-6 weeks of season after second knee surgery". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
    24. ↑ "Russell Westbrook's triple-double catapults Thunder". ESPN. December 25, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
    25. ↑ "Westbrook out through All-Star break". ESPN. December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
    26. ↑ "76ers at Thunder".
    27. ↑ "OKC's Westbrook suffers small fracture in hand".
    28. ↑ "Russell Westbrook 2014-15 Game Log - Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com.
    29. ↑ "Warriors at Thunder".
    30. ↑ "Russell Westbrook tore up the Warriors".
    31. ↑ "Thunder at Pelicans".
    32. ↑ "Pelicans at Thunder".
    33. ↑ Bresnahan, Mike (February 15, 2015). "NBA All-Star game updates: West beats the East, 163-158". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015.
    34. ↑ "Nuggets at Thunder".
    35. ↑ "Pacers at Thunder".
    36. ↑ "Thunder at Trail Blazers".
    37. ↑ Haberstroh, Tom (February 27, 2015). "Westbrook's historic offense". ESPN. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
    38. ↑ "Russell Westbrook's historic February". ESPN. February 28, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
    39. ↑ "76ers at Thunder".
    40. ↑ "Thunder at Bulls".
    41. ↑ "Raptors at Thunder".
    42. ↑ "Timberwolves at Thunder".
    43. ↑ "Hawks at Thunder".
    44. ↑ "Mavericks at Thunder".
    45. ↑ "Rockets at Thunder".
    46. ↑ "Thunder at Pacers".
    47. ↑ Ogden, Rob (October 30, 2015). "Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant are first duo to each score 40 since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen". SunTimes.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015.
    48. ↑ Kramer, Daniel (October 31, 2015). "Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook Combine for 91 Points in 2OT Win vs. Magic". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
    49. ↑ "Westbrook rallies Thunder past Nuggets, 122-112". NBA.com. December 27, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
    50. ↑ release, Official. "Westbrook, Durant join Wall as Kia Players of the Month".
    51. ↑ "Hornets vs Thunder".
    52. ↑ "Thunder vs Mavericks".
    53. ↑ "Magic vs Thunder".
    54. ↑ "Lakers' Bryant holds off Warriors' Curry to finish as top All-Star vote-getter". NBA.com. January 21, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
    55. ↑ "Russell Westbrook wins second straight All-Star Game MVP award". ESPN.com. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original on February 15, 2016.
    56. ↑ "Clippers vs Thunder".
    57. ↑ "Rockets vs Thunder".
    58. ↑ "Lakers vs Thunder".
    59. ↑ NBA (April 11, 2016). "Russell Westbrook Records First Half Triple-Double" – via YouTube.
    60. ↑ "Top stats to know: Russell Westbrook's 18th triple-double".
    61. ↑ "Warriors vs Thunder".
    62. ↑ Adams, Luke (August 4, 2016). "Thunder Sign Russell Westbrook To Extension". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
    63. ↑ "Thunder Signs Westbrook to Contract Extension". NBA.com. August 4, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
    64. ↑ "Russell Westbrook: 'Nowhere else I'd rather be than Oklahoma City'". ESPN. August 4, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
    65. ↑ "Russell Westbrook's 51 triple-double points most since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". ESPN.com. October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
    66. ↑ "Westbrook gets another triple-double, Thunder beat Lakers". ESPN.com. October 30, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
    67. ↑ "Westbrook has 35, triple-double as Thunder top Wizards in OT". ESPN.com. November 30, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
    68. ↑ "Rockets overcome Westbrook's 7th straight triple-double". ESPN.com. December 9, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
    69. ↑ "Russell Westbrook reaches historic territory with 19th triple-double". NBA.com. January 13, 2017. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017.
    70. ↑ "Westbrook gets 20th triple-double, Thunder beat Kings". ESPN.com. January 15, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
    71. ↑ NBA TV [@NBATV] (16 January 2017). "Russell Westbrook joins Oscar Robertson & Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in @NBA history to record 20 triple-…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
    72. ↑ "Durant dazzles against former Oklahoma City team once more". ESPN.com. January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
    73. ↑ "Westbrook hits game-winner as Thunder beat Jazz 97-95". ESPN.com. January 23, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
    74. ↑ "Russell Westbrook moves past Larry Bird into 5th on triple-doubles list". ESPN.com. January 25, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
    75. ↑ Broom, Joshua (February 18, 2017). "Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook against the universe: NBA All Star game preview, odds, and prediction". welcometoloudcity.com. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
    76. ↑ "Westbrook's 43, triple-double lead Thunder past Jazz". ESPN.com. February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
    77. ↑ "Trail Blazers overcome Westbrook's 58 to top Thunder 126-121". ESPN.com. March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
    78. ↑ "Westbrook has another triple-double, Thunder beat Spurs". ESPN.com. March 9, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
    79. ↑ "Westbrook has another triple-double, Thunder beat Jazz". ESPN.com. March 11, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
    80. ↑ Brunt, Cliff (April 4, 2017). "Russell Westbrook ties Oscar Robertson's season triple-double record of 41". NBA.com. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
    81. 1 2 "Westbrook secures triple-double average, falls short of 42nd". ESPN.com. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
    82. ↑ Kosminder, Nick (April 9, 2017). "Russell Westbrook's record performance eliminates Nuggets from playoff". DenverPost.com. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
    83. ↑ "Westbrook sets triple-double record, Thunder beat Nuggets". ESPN.com. April 9, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
    84. ↑ "Rockets overcome Westbrook's 51, take 2-0 lead over Thunder". ESPN.com. April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
    85. ↑ "Nene's 28 lead Rockets past Thunder for 3-1 series lead". ESPN.com. April 23, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
    86. ↑ "Rockets advance with 105-99 win over Thunder". ESPN.com. April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
    87. ↑ "Russell Westbrook Wins 2016-17 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award". NBA.com. June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
    88. ↑ "Thunder Signs Russell Westbrook to a Multi-Year Contract Extension". NBA.com. September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
    89. ↑ Wojnarowski, Adrian (September 29, 2017). "Russell Westbrook signs 5-year, $205M extension with Thunder". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
    90. ↑ "Thunder top Knicks 105-84 in OKC debuts for George, Anthony". ESPN.com. October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
    91. ↑ "Anthony scores 21 to lead Thunder's 101-69 rout of Bulls". ESPN.com. October 28, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
    92. ↑ Daniels, Tim (December 15, 2017). "Russell Westbrook Triple-Doubles in Thunder 3OT Win over Joel Embiid, 76ers". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
    93. ↑ "George, Westbrook lead Thunder past Raptors 124-107". ESPN.com. December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
    94. ↑ "Antetokounmpo's late basket lifts Bucks past Thunder 97-95". ESPN.com. December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
    95. ↑ "George scores 36, Thunder blast LeBron, Cavs 148-124". ESPN.com. January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
    96. ↑ "Westbrook's season-high 46 lead Thunder past Wizards 121-112". ESPN.com. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
    97. ↑ "Harris hits 3 at buzzer, Nuggets beat Thunder 127-124". ESPN.com. February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
    98. ↑ "George, Westbrook's triple-double lead OKC past Grizzlies". ESPN.com. February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
    99. ↑ "Westbrook's 100th triple-double, Thunder beats Hawks 119-107". ESPN.com. March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
    100. ↑ "Durant scores 34 to help Warriors top Thunder". ESPN.com. April 3, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
    101. ↑ "Thunder clinch: Oklahoma City runs past Miami 115-93". ESPN.com. April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
    102. ↑ "George, Westbrook lead Thunder past Grizzlies 137-123". ESPN.com. April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
    103. ↑ "Westbrook scores 45; Thunder beat Jazz to avoid elimination". ESPN.com. April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
    104. ↑ "Mitchell scores 38, Jazz beat Thunder 96-91 to win series". ESPN.com. April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
    105. ↑ Stein, Marc (August 29, 2014). "Team USA average age: 24.08". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014.
    106. ↑ Stein, Marc (August 23, 2014). "U.S. roster has size emphasis". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014.
    107. ↑ "Team USA stops Turkey, fills gold-medal void at FIBA worlds". USA Today. Associated Press. September 13, 2010. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014.
    108. ↑ Thamel, Peter (September 12, 2010). "Durant Lifts Americans Back to Top at Worlds". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014.
    109. ↑ "Westbrook, Harden won't play in Rio Olympics".
    110. ↑ Palmer, Chris (November 12, 2015). "From the Bottom to the Top: The Russell Westbrook Story". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
    111. ↑ Mason, Beckley (November 30, 2011). "Russell Westbrook's next step: the Tony Parker cut «". Hoopspeak.com. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    112. ↑ Tucker, Josh (January 11, 2012). "Russell Westbrook: Transition Jump Shots Key to Scoring Success". Welcome to Loud City. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    113. ↑ Prada, Mike (April 6, 2012). "Fun With Synergy: Russell Westbrook, Pull-Up Jumpers And Kevin Durant's Shot Distribution Wisdom". SBNation.com. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    114. ↑ Young, Royce (January 21, 2016). "Russell Westbrook's early passing shows OKC its offensive potential". ESPN. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
    115. ↑ Kennedy, Andrew (January 29, 2012). "The Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook pick-and-roll « True Hoop Drew". Truehoopdrew.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    116. ↑ Rafferty, Scott (October 22, 2015). "Russell Westbrook post-ups are the Thunder's deadly secret weapon". SportingNews.com. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
    117. 1 2 "Russell Westbrook Game Finder – triple-doubles". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
    118. ↑ Harney, Will (April 19, 2017). "The 17 players with the most PLAYOFF triple doubles in NBA history". interbasket.net. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
    119. ↑ "NBA". Tsn.ca. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
    120. ↑ Anderson, Sam (February 1, 2017). "The Misunderstood Genius of Russell Westbrook". NYTimes.com. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
    121. ↑ "Pac-12 Conference 2011–12 Men's Basketball Media Guide". Pac-12 Conference. 2011. p. 121. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
    122. ↑ Pac-12 Conference 2011, p. 125.
    123. ↑ "Russell Westbrook officially signs with the Jordan Brand". Archived from the original on December 11, 2012.
    124. ↑ Dorsey, Jesse. "Watch Russell Westbrook Live the Dream in New Commercial".
    125. ↑ DeLeon, Jian (November 22, 2013). "Russell Westbook Is Now A Kings & Jaxs Underwear Model".
    126. ↑ "Russell Westbrook Named Marketing Creative Director of True Religion".
    127. ↑ "VIDEO: Russell Westbrook appears in new Mountain Dew commercial". February 11, 2016.
    128. ↑ "Khelcey Barrs".
    129. ↑ Kimble, Lindsay (August 30, 2015). "NBA Player Russell Westbrook Marries Nina Earl in Star-Studded Beverly Hills Ceremony". People. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
    130. ↑ Boone, Kyle (May 16, 2017). "Russell Westbrook and wife announce birth of son Noah". cbssports.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
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