This is the last of a three-part series that will reveal my top-3 overrated NBA players in today's game. At number one - Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook, the MVP, is the most overrated player
Yes, Russell Westbrook is overrated. Is Westbrook a stat-chaser or a triple-double machine? Nobody can question Westbrook's talent, freakish athleticism, and unique fire that drives him. He is a special player, and only special players can even think about or have the ability to average a triple-double and play at the elite level Westbrook has played for all these years.
However, collectively, things seem never to go his way. One may call it bad luck. Others like me do not believe in bad luck and can point to one reason why the Oklahoma City Thunder have disappointed in recent years. The common denominator is Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook is probably the most athletic and forceful point guard we have ever seen. And his mindset is as aggressive as they get. These attributes allow him to attack the rim with authority and find a little challenge on the way. His limitless energy allows him to find the ball as well as his teammates once he runs out the clock and ultimately draws more than one defender towards him. Teams have to make adjustments to attempt to stop Westbrook.
It seems at times like Westbrook can only be stopped by himself. There lies the problem. Westbrook is his own worst nightmare at times. When he goes out of control, the whole team dynamic is affected and harmed. Westbrook has also been unable to create a reliable jump shot. His mid-range jump shot cannot be counted on every game.
He uses his legs too much to create a jump shot. Yet again, he relies on his athleticism and not technique. His three-point shot is even worse, especially this season (career: 31%; 2017-2018 season: 29.4%). He has not shown much improvement in his jump shot after nine years in the league. With a big game on the line, one still cannot blindly count on Westbrook being efficient or making the right plays at the end of the game.
Westbrook and stat-chasing
Westbrook was caught up in the triple-double fever last season, and that spilled over his teammates. Steven Adams and company were mindful of Westbrook's statistical goals every game and therefore were ready to move out of the way for Westbrook to grab a defensive rebound or to look at the basket once Westbrook assisted them. Thus, his rebounding and assist numbers were inflated.
There is a clip that shows Westbrook displeased with a teammate down the stretch of a game against the Golden State Warriors this season. The Thunder basically assured the win, and Westbrook needed one more assist to get a triple-double. When he assisted Steven Adams in the paint and Adams rather chose to pass the ball instead of shooting it, one could see Westbrook raising his arms in discontent.
Warriors' players on the bench, especially Durant and Curry, were laughing at what they were witnessing. Thus, it is apparent that Westbrook continues to be obsessed with chasing numbers.
Towards the end of last season, Phoenix Suns players called out Westbrook's blatant attempt to get more assists and therefore record a triple-double that would have helped him break Oscar Robertson's single-season record that day. "Yeah, he knew too," Tyler Ulis said. "That's all he was trying to do. He was wide open trying to find guys. We stuck to them, ran guys off the line and it didn't happen."
Westbrook's gravitational pull inhibits his teammates. Consequently, the ball does not move as much and the rest of the team does not get enough touches.
And when they do get the ball, time on the shot-clock is usually about to expire.
Westbrook's teammates fade away under his long shadow
Westbrook had two future Hall-of-Famers by his side, Kevin Durant, and James Harden, and both decided to leave and have flourished away from him. Is it a coincidence? That Big three was able to reach the NBA Finals but had no chance against LeBron's Miami Heat. Westbrook did not show up in those Finals. Westbrook was criticized for shooting the ball too much and making the wrong decisions in crunch time. That became a stigma from that point on. Different NBA analysts used the nickname 'Westbrick'.
Harden understood that Westbrook would have trouble learning to share the ball in the back-court.
The Rockets grabbed Harden, and he has been able to become a superstar away from Oklahoma City and Westbrook. On the other hand, the infamous Westbrook-Durant story could take hours to be recounted. Basically, Durant comprehended that he could only go so far alongside Westbrook. Russell's tunnel vision and individualistic style of play brought Durant no joy. Thus, Durant looked to join forces with Westbrook's antithesis, Stephen Curry. Durant has clearly made the right decision to move on. He is having fun in the Bay Area, and his NBA championship ring speaks for itself; it could be the first of many.
Even average players like Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, all of a, seem to be very good players now that they have moved away from Westbrook.
Oladipo averaged 15.9 points, 2.6 assist, and 4.3 rebounds per game in 33 minutes of play last season with the Thunder. This season, he has become an All-Star as he is averaging over 23.2 points, 4.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game in 34 minutes. Sabonis averaged 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 20 minutes of play last season. This season, he is boosting these numbers to 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 25 minutes. Oladipo and Sabonis are playing almost the same number of minutes, but the Indiana Pacers have enabled them to play with liberty and security.
Westbrook unable to empower George and Carmelo
Now, Westbrook has the help of two stars in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, but Westbrook has been unable so far to make it work.
The Thunder have been the disappointing story of this season. Who else should be blamed but the team's leader?
Westbrook is getting a bit fewer touches this season, but he is still unable to figure out a way to make his teammates better. Special players are supposed to be able to do this with their eyes closed. LeBron James, for example, is a master at getting the most out of his team, and players like Curry and Irving have also learned to infect their teammates with a selfless, winning mentality. Westbrook has not figured it out, and it might be too late to do so. This season's Paul George is not the Paul George we know, and that could mean his departure in free agency.
Westbrook is 29 years of age, so he will soon begin to lose some of his athleticism.
For a player who bases so much of his game on his athleticism, it remains to be seen how he will fare in coming years when his game slows down and has no option but to face reality. Westbrook is not a fundamentally sound player. Will he be able to change his game? Maybe then people will realize that many of Westbrook's performances were overrated in previous years. But today I am telling you all that Russell Westbrook, the NBA's MVP, is also the MOP.
