Point guard Russell Westbrook may no longer be the MVP he once was, but he has definitely been productive with the Los Angeles Clippers. It is clear that he can still be a big contributor on a competitive team, despite many analysts and fans writing him off after his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Recently, Clippers star Paul George claimed that Westbrook is still a top 20 or top 25 player in the league, noting that Westbrook is a quality two-way player.
“I know what players can do, how good they are, and where they rank. Russ is top 20-25 easy, he’s still a Triple-Double. He proved that he can be the No. 1 option these past playoffs, he proved he can still defend at a high level, he proved he can still dominate the game. There’s not 24 other guys that can play both ends like Russ.”
Paul George speaks on ESPN ranking Russell Westbrook #94 on their Top 100 List
“I know what players can do, how good they are and where they rank. Russ is top 20-25 easy, he’s still a Triple-Double. He proved that he can be the #1 option these past playoffs, he proved he can… pic.twitter.com/9YoRk7no8l
— ᴇʀᴀ 🕷️ (@TheWestbrookEra) October 23, 2023
Though George may be overvaluing his teammate a little bit, Westbrook is still a starting-level player who can make an impact in a lot of areas on the court. It is easy to see why George views Westbrook very highly, and it will be interesting to see how Westbrook looks with the Clippers fully healthy.
Last season, Westbrook averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game during 21 regular season games with the Clippers. The Clippers need him to be a floor general and orchestrate the offense, and if he can do those things, he can certainly be a productive No. 3 option behind George and Kawhi Leonard.
Many Were Unhappy With Russell Westbrook Being Ranked No. 94 On ESPN’s Top 100 List
George’s quote about Westbrook comes in response to ESPN ranking him 94th on ESPN’s top 100 list, and he is far from the only person unhappy about Westbrook’s placement. In fact, Kenyon Martin went off at ESPN after Russell Westbrook was ranked as the 94th-best player in the NBA.
“Show me f*cking 93 other people better than Russell Westbrook in the NBA. You have two people on the list ahead of him that ain’t played one f*cking NBA minute… Wemby and Scoot. They got Russ 94th dog. Are you sh*tting me? Let’s stop this f*cking madness man. Get the f*ck out of here man!”
It is fair to say that Westbrook should be ranked higher than 94th on any top 100 list. He is still a quality slasher, playmaker, and rebounder, and his all-around game can still be valuable to a lot of teams. Westbrook will have an opportunity to prove his haters wrong by showing out with the Clippers though, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
Russell Westbrook Is In The Perfect Position To Succeed
At this point, it is fair to say that Westbrook is in a good position to succeed. There is no pressure on him to do everything on the court, given the presence of George and Leonard on the roster. He is also surrounded by 3PT shooters, giving him some of the best spacing that he’s had during his career.
The Clippers are also in a good position to compete for a championship, and they certainly can win it all if they stay healthy. Westbrook will be a huge key to their success as well, and it’ll be interesting to see if the team can maximize him.
Hopefully, we see Westbrook thrive next season. He has been the target of a lot of criticism over the course of the last few seasons, and it is good to see him on a franchise where he can play his game.
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