Russell Westbrook is one of the most polarizing players in all sports. He is definitely the second most criticized player in the NBA. I am on the fan side of the Westbrook spectrum so I don’t fully understand the haters. Why does he attract so much criticism? Is it his perma-angry brow? Is it his passion that overflows and spills with emotional outbursts on the court at times? Is it because he does not fit the standard caste of the “true point guard?”
Regardless of how much he is criticized, few will argue that he has become one of the top five players in the NBA. What makes him great? What makes him special? Of course he is a world class athlete, but it is much deeper than that. As a player you need to watch the best to find the little things that make them special. Here are six things players can learn from Russell Westbrook.
1. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO WIN
The Oklahoma City Thunder are reminding all of us of that there is more than one way to win in this year’s playoff’s. Their approach is built around their personnel. It may not be as pretty as what the Warriors do with their pace and ball movement, but Billy Donovan has crafted a style that fits them. Since the Warriors love to switch everything on defense, they use ball screens to create the match-up that they want to exploit. Their critics call them an isolation team like that is always a bad thing. A thinker of the game knows that there are no absolutes in basketball, only situations that require the right read.
Basketball is a game of evolution, and no position on the floor epitomizes this idea more than the point guard. But what is a point guard?
In the early 90’s John Stockton wasn’t big enough to play the position…
In the 2000’s Steve Nash wasn’t quick enough to be in the league…
Tony Parker was too focused on getting his own shots and couldn’t shoot well enough from the outside…
Steph Curry wasn’t a “true point guard, until they won a championship of course…
Westbrook is another take on the position that isn’t wrong simply because we haven’t seen it before…
Each player had a dynamic forward thinking coach that, instead of listening to critics and molding their team around what everyone else thought they should be, they decided to build their team on what they are.
Your coach may have a different style. It may not be the way you think is best way to play. But most of the time, your coach is doing what is best for the team based on your personnel. The coach is the most objective person in the locker room. Buy in to your coach’s system, learn all you can about the “why” behind your coach’s strategy, and attack the game
2. EMBRACE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
After OKC’s game 3 loss to the Spurs, Westbrook took personal responsibility for the loss in the post-game press conference. When asked about his late-game turnovers, he owned it. No excuses. He also stated that he needed to get his teammates more involved on the offensive end and that shooting 31 shots was entirely too much.
This is what winners do. They don’t blame their teammates. They own it when they don’t play well. They think about what they need to do better. They also get outside themselves and think of ways to help their teammates do better. By owning their mistakes, they can learn from them.
If you don’t own it, you are condemned to repeat it.
3. COMPETE LIKE A WILD ANIMAL. LOVE LIKE A HUMAN BEING.
Is there a professional athlete on the planet that competes harder than Russell Westbrook? His passion makes people think he is a hot-head. His reckless abandon makes people think he is out of control. The reality is… he is not normal. Many people don’t know what to think about someone who has a level of compete this high. I know what I think. I love it. Sure, sometimes he can get out of control. Sometimes he can let his emotions get the better of him. But the good far outweighs the bad. His level of compete makes him special sets him apart from everyone in the league.
As wild and crazy as he can be on the floor, off the floor he is a humanitarian. His “Why Not” foundation works to help children who are facing hardships of any kind. His mission is to inspire the kids who are facing adversity to fight to succeed and never give up. The foundation has many activities for at-risk youth such as Russell’s Reading Room, Christmas and Thanksgiving events, free basketball camps, etc. He even gave a struggling single mother of 2 a new car for Christmas. He rose to NBA stardom from humble beginnings in Compton, California, but he has not forgotten where he comes from. He sets a great example for all of us by getting outside himself and making a difference in his community.
4. COMMITMENT TO GROWTH
Russell Westbrook has gotten better every year. He is a natural shooting guard but he has made himself into one of the best point guards in the NBA posting a career high 10.4 assists per game. According to an article on Yahoo Sports by Adrian Wojnarowski[1]: When Westbrook played for Team U.S.A. in the 2010 World Championships, he became one of Coach K’s favorite players because of his coach-ability and fearlessness. Coach K still uses him as an example for his current players.
Sometimes his demeanor during games can be interpreted as angry or pouting. But this does not mean he is uncoachable. In reality the opposite is true. So before we judge a book by its cover, let’s open it and see what the narrative has to say.
In game 3 of the 2012 NBA finals vs. the Miami Heat, Westbrook did not look pleased when his coach Scott Brooks benched him at the end of the 3rd quarter. At the post-game press conference, reporters repeatedly tried to bait him into saying something negative about his coach. He would not fall for the trap. “It was the coach’s decision.” Westbrook said. “You have to live with that.” When they kept pushing the issue, Westbrook still would not throw his coach under the bus. “They do not have to cater to what is best for me. You have to do what is best for the team.”
5. BE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN SKIN
Russell Westbrook makes no bones about it. He unapologetically is who he is. He doesn’t take to social media to defend himself to his countless critics. He goes to work and does his job every day with a passion that is a rare sight in sports. He just tries to keep growing as a player.
Check out his twitter feed. You won’t see a petty feud or a response to some outside criticism from someone who doesn’t know what is going on in their locker room. It’s just fashion and the “Why Not” foundation. It’s so refreshing to see a player that is supremely confident and doesn’t care about the opinions of people who are not a part of his growth. He lets that which doesn’t matter truly slide.
Take Russell’s advice. Just be yourself. Do the best you can, strive to grow every day, and don’t worry about the critics who are not in your inner circle. They don’t know or care about the real you anyways.
6. WHEN YOU ARE DOWN, DO THE LITTLE THINGS WELL
Last night, I was watching game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the Warriors and the Thunder. I fully expected Golden State to come out with high energy and desperation because they were facing elimination. They did, but OKC matched the intensity as always. But they were struggling on the offensive end, especially Westbrook. He started the game 1-10. If his Thunder were going to have a chance to close out the defending champs, he would have to turn it around. That’s exactly what he did.
How did he do it? Made a tough shot? No. Threw down a vicious dunk in traffic? No. He did little things. Four little things to be exact. After missing a jump shot, he dove on the floor (Dennis Rodman style) and punched the ball to a team mate and got his team an extra possession. He then took a charge on their next defensive possession. He followed that with a drive and kick for an easy 3 point shot for his team mate Andre Roberson. Then he got to the free throw line.
The little things got him going. He went 10 for 18 from the field for the rest of the game and finished with 31 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals. The Thunder would not go away and gave themselves a chance to win. So many times this year NBA teams have tried to get back into games by doing the spectacular or trying to be heroes when facing an early deficit. This is how it snowballs. Players (even the best players in the world) forget that you erase big deficits by doing the little things. One stop at a time. One high percentage shot at a time. World beater steals and heroic shot attempts will get you beat 40. If you’re not sure? Ask the Raptors how that works out for them when they get down.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
If the Thunder happen to lose this series or lose in the finals, there is no doubt that Russell Westbrook will get the lion’s share of the blame. I guess that is the price of being great. I wish the media would recognize how special this guy is. A competitor with his fire and passion is a rare commodity. I can think of two others in my lifetime. Charles Barkley and Kevin Garnett.
For me, I’m just going to say thank you, Russell. It is a joy to watch you compete. Let’s just sit back, watch these games, learn all we can from him, and enjoy his greatness.
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