Post by Rog on Feb 8, 2018 12:24:30 GMT
The 113th nominee of the NBN Hall of Fame, Russell Westbrook, was almost perfectly made in his real life's image. He was a true bowling ball of a point guard, destructive scorer, sometimes reckless play style that was equal parts endearing and frustrating. His stats are amazing, but do his flaws hold him back at all? Lets take a look.
Career Stats
38.2 MPG, 28.8 PPG, 7.9 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 3.3 TOPG on 49% from the field, 91.4% from the line, and 44% from three
Best Season
Chicago Bulls(2021) - 32.1 PPG, 9.5 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 3.0 TOPG on 51.5% from the field 93.2% from the line, and 48.5% from three
Career Highs
Points: 63
Rebounds: 16
Assists: 20
Steals: 9
Blocks: 4
Achievements
Championships: 0
Player of the Game: 473
Player of the Week: 27
Player of the Month: 9
Double Doubles: 531
Triple Doubles: 34
Career Leaderboard Rankings
Points - 2nd
Assists - 7th
Steals - 1st
Turnovers - 1st
Awards
2010 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2010 - Rookie of the Year
2010 - All-Rookie Team
2011 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2012 - All-Star Game Participant
2012 - All-League Second Team
2013 - All-Star Game Participant
2013 - All-League Second Team
2013 - All-Defensive Team
2014 - All-Star Game Participant
2015 - All-Star Game Participant
2015 - All-Star Game MVP
2016 - All-Star Game Participant
2016 - All-League Third Team
2016 - All-Defensive Team
2017 - All-Star Game Participant
2017 - All-League Second Team
2017 - All-Defensive Second Team
2018 - All-Star Game Participant
2018 - All-League Third Team
2019 - All-Defensive Team
2021 - All-Star Game Participant
2021 - All-League Second Team
2024 - All-Defensive Team
Arguments For Induction
- Westbrook played in eight different All-Star games and even won an All-Star Game MVP in his career as well. He was named to four All-Defensive First Teams and one All-Defensive Second Team. He was named to four All-League Second Teams and Two All-League Third Teams also.
- Russell Westbrook was one of the best scorers the league has ever seen, both from a pure volume perspective, he shot the ball 32,494 times in his illustrious career, making 49% from them, and also from an efficiency perspective as well, as his 49/91.4/44 percentage line is one of the better you'll see in league history. He averaged 28.8 freaking points per game, which is an elite season, Russ did it over his entire career. His lowest average in a season is 25.8 per game in his rookie year, where he still managed to shoot 46.9% from the field. He had four seasons above 30 points per game, dude could absolutely ball. He only missed 608 free throw attempts in his entire career, despite shooting over 7,000 of them, good for 91.4% from the line. You could just go on and on and on and on with his scoring and never run out of good things to say, but I think you all get the picture. Last thing, there wasn't a better scorer in league history besides Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook finished 2nd All-Time in points behind Durant. Figures.
- Despite his end of his career slide into more of a shooting guard because of his turnovers, Westbrook was a fantastic passer as well. He had seven seasons over 9 assists per game, finishing his career with a 7.9 number that was dragged down toward the end of his career. Even still, Westbrook managed to finish 7th in assists in his career, which is incredibly impressive.
- Almost needing to start here, Westbrook was an absolute elite thief. He ranks #1 all time currently in steals, averaging 2.5 per game in his career. Thats a career average, which is good for 4th in the league right now. Twelve seasons in his career he had 2.5+ steals per game, including a few seasons at 3 a game as well. He also carries five defensive awards and had an "A+" rating for most of his career as well, just showing how overall of a great defender he was.
- Westbrooks overall game tells the story of a Hall of Famer and its undeniable. You keep going and looking at stuff and you keep finding things you love about him. He had 34 triple doubles in his career, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game in his career, he even had a few seasons over 6 per game which is crazy elite for a point guard. He won 9 player of the months, 27 player of the weeks in his career also. Considering the quality of teams he played on, he also won just under a third of the Player of the Game Awards as he played. Just an incredible player and there is no possible case to make against him.
Arguments Against Induction
- Once again, I'm not spending much time here. He does have his flaws, namely a small shortage of league awards despite playing 19 years in the league. Those lack of awards are contributed to his assists to turnover ratio, which is horrific due to his crazy high turnovers which clearly cost his team a number of ways. He has the most turnovers by anyone in league history. He also has no title, possibly also helped along by his high turnovers. These don't make the case that he wasn't a Hall of Famer, he was despite those flaws. But like Jennings, and like Davis, these things chip away at "All-Time Best" monikers we like to place on these guys. All said and done though, Russ is a Hall of Famer.
Vote carefully, and remember to throw out arguments regardless of which side you're on. This should be a discussion that eventually gets the league to the proper decision on him. Your vote can also be retracted after it's been cast if you feel like switching to the other side based on the arguments that have been made. To be inducted, a player needs 70% and to be considered in a later class they need 50%. Vote carefully.
***BONUS - Don't forget that everyone who votes gets $25 and the person that makes the best argument or contributes to the discussion the best will be awarded an extra $25***
Career Stats
38.2 MPG, 28.8 PPG, 7.9 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 3.3 TOPG on 49% from the field, 91.4% from the line, and 44% from three
Best Season
Chicago Bulls(2021) - 32.1 PPG, 9.5 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 3.0 TOPG on 51.5% from the field 93.2% from the line, and 48.5% from three
Career Highs
Points: 63
Rebounds: 16
Assists: 20
Steals: 9
Blocks: 4
Achievements
Championships: 0
Player of the Game: 473
Player of the Week: 27
Player of the Month: 9
Double Doubles: 531
Triple Doubles: 34
Career Leaderboard Rankings
Points - 2nd
Assists - 7th
Steals - 1st
Turnovers - 1st
Awards
2010 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2010 - Rookie of the Year
2010 - All-Rookie Team
2011 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2012 - All-Star Game Participant
2012 - All-League Second Team
2013 - All-Star Game Participant
2013 - All-League Second Team
2013 - All-Defensive Team
2014 - All-Star Game Participant
2015 - All-Star Game Participant
2015 - All-Star Game MVP
2016 - All-Star Game Participant
2016 - All-League Third Team
2016 - All-Defensive Team
2017 - All-Star Game Participant
2017 - All-League Second Team
2017 - All-Defensive Second Team
2018 - All-Star Game Participant
2018 - All-League Third Team
2019 - All-Defensive Team
2021 - All-Star Game Participant
2021 - All-League Second Team
2024 - All-Defensive Team
Arguments For Induction
- Westbrook played in eight different All-Star games and even won an All-Star Game MVP in his career as well. He was named to four All-Defensive First Teams and one All-Defensive Second Team. He was named to four All-League Second Teams and Two All-League Third Teams also.
- Russell Westbrook was one of the best scorers the league has ever seen, both from a pure volume perspective, he shot the ball 32,494 times in his illustrious career, making 49% from them, and also from an efficiency perspective as well, as his 49/91.4/44 percentage line is one of the better you'll see in league history. He averaged 28.8 freaking points per game, which is an elite season, Russ did it over his entire career. His lowest average in a season is 25.8 per game in his rookie year, where he still managed to shoot 46.9% from the field. He had four seasons above 30 points per game, dude could absolutely ball. He only missed 608 free throw attempts in his entire career, despite shooting over 7,000 of them, good for 91.4% from the line. You could just go on and on and on and on with his scoring and never run out of good things to say, but I think you all get the picture. Last thing, there wasn't a better scorer in league history besides Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook finished 2nd All-Time in points behind Durant. Figures.
- Despite his end of his career slide into more of a shooting guard because of his turnovers, Westbrook was a fantastic passer as well. He had seven seasons over 9 assists per game, finishing his career with a 7.9 number that was dragged down toward the end of his career. Even still, Westbrook managed to finish 7th in assists in his career, which is incredibly impressive.
- Almost needing to start here, Westbrook was an absolute elite thief. He ranks #1 all time currently in steals, averaging 2.5 per game in his career. Thats a career average, which is good for 4th in the league right now. Twelve seasons in his career he had 2.5+ steals per game, including a few seasons at 3 a game as well. He also carries five defensive awards and had an "A+" rating for most of his career as well, just showing how overall of a great defender he was.
- Westbrooks overall game tells the story of a Hall of Famer and its undeniable. You keep going and looking at stuff and you keep finding things you love about him. He had 34 triple doubles in his career, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game in his career, he even had a few seasons over 6 per game which is crazy elite for a point guard. He won 9 player of the months, 27 player of the weeks in his career also. Considering the quality of teams he played on, he also won just under a third of the Player of the Game Awards as he played. Just an incredible player and there is no possible case to make against him.
Arguments Against Induction
- Once again, I'm not spending much time here. He does have his flaws, namely a small shortage of league awards despite playing 19 years in the league. Those lack of awards are contributed to his assists to turnover ratio, which is horrific due to his crazy high turnovers which clearly cost his team a number of ways. He has the most turnovers by anyone in league history. He also has no title, possibly also helped along by his high turnovers. These don't make the case that he wasn't a Hall of Famer, he was despite those flaws. But like Jennings, and like Davis, these things chip away at "All-Time Best" monikers we like to place on these guys. All said and done though, Russ is a Hall of Famer.
Vote carefully, and remember to throw out arguments regardless of which side you're on. This should be a discussion that eventually gets the league to the proper decision on him. Your vote can also be retracted after it's been cast if you feel like switching to the other side based on the arguments that have been made. To be inducted, a player needs 70% and to be considered in a later class they need 50%. Vote carefully.
***BONUS - Don't forget that everyone who votes gets $25 and the person that makes the best argument or contributes to the discussion the best will be awarded an extra $25***
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