On the cusp of passing Oscar Roberston in the history books, Russell Westbrook is certainly generating some buzz.
Besides drawing comparisons to Allen Iverson, he got Big O himself talking, who gave a rather glowing review of the Wizards star.
Russell Westbrook has his 177th career triple-double tonight … after three quarters. Five more and he passes Oscar Robertson.
The Big O tells @PeterVecsey1 here: "I think he will (pass me) and I'll be glad when he does, because he's a tremendous basketball player and athlete." https://t.co/SM2c7GRj4K
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 1, 2021
Following tonight’s game, Westbrook responded to the statement, clearly touched by the words.
“It’s truly an honor, man. It’s something that honestly I don’t take for granted.”
Russell Westbrook on these quotes from Oscar Robertson: “It’s truly an honor, man. It’s something that honestly I don’t take for granted.”
Video with the full quote here: https://t.co/iOfv6klpw6 pic.twitter.com/VBiz7OJb4K
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 1, 2021
Despite the flaws, the criticism, and the complicated history, Westbrook deserves to be celebrated for what he’s been able to do in his 12-plus years in the league. A 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA player, 2x Scoring Champ, and former MVP, he’s as accomplished as they come, and is one of a very short list of players who have averaged a triple-double in a season (this season is his fourth time doing it).
Unfortunately for the Wizards, they’ve struggled to make the Westbrook/Beal partnership work this season, and it has resulted in a rather lackluster record.
But through Westbrook’s play and energy, the team is beginning to bounce back, and they’ve got a real shot to sneak into the playoffs.
It will be interesting to see what they can do in this final stretch of the season, and what more we can expect from their star point guard.
