Nick Wright has never been afraid to stir the pot, and his latest comments on Russell Westbrook on First Things First were among the most cutting he’s made about any player in recent memory.
In the wake of Westbrook’s disastrous late-game sequence against the Minnesota Timberwolves—a missed fast-break layup followed by a game-deciding foul—Wright unleashed a full-throated critique that, while steeped in history, came off as deeply personal.
“On the Russ stuff, we tried to warn you, Denver. And in the very beginning, a whole lot of chirping: Why couldn’t LeBron make it work the way Joker can.”
“You can’t fix him. Russ is an all-time legendary player… I’m telling you he will be a net negative on winning playoff games. He has. Well, if I may, I am ready to say that. He has not been able to contribute to winning basketball in nearly a decade.”
“In nearly a decade, there have been five teams that have opted in to the Russell Westbrook experience. One of them, it was smart because it was the one team that was like, hey, we just want to maybe find a way to make it into the playoffs: Washington.”
“Houston had real championship aspirations with an MVP-level player. It did not work. The Lakers had real championship aspirations with an MVP-level player. It did not work. The Clippers—who, with the Clippers, a lot of similarities to this. Like, oh, oh, regular season. He’s accepting his role. Maybe it’ll work.”
“And the Clippers era ended with a playoff series where—this is accurate—he played 19 minutes per game, scoring six points per game on 26/23 splits in the postseason, which is only slightly worse than his postseason numbers this decade, which are 16 points a game on 37/27 splits.”
“The Clippers had real championship aspirations with an MVP-level player. And now the Nuggets. They have all taken their turn on the late-stage Russell Westbrook carousel, and it always will end like this… He does not have the ability to not be Russell Westbrook at all times. And that’s kind of the point you were making.”
“Seven years ago when this show first started, I used to say: if you have any young person who plays sports, the person whose tape you should make them watch is Russell Westbrook. Because you can’t tell: is it the first quarter, the fourth quarter? Is it the playoffs? Is it not? Because he is going so hard at all times.”
“But at this point, his greatest asset has become his greatest liability.”
It’s a harsh statement — and frankly, one that deserves a closer, year-by-year look at Westbrook’s career to see how true it really is:
2015-16
Westbrook, alongside Kevin Durant, led the Thunder to a 55-27 record and a 3rd-place finish in the West. OKC reached the Western Conference Finals and held a 3-1 lead over the 73-win Warriors before collapsing.
Russ averaged 26.0 points, 10.4 assists, and 6.9 rebounds that season. This was elite basketball — the idea that he wasn’t contributing to winning is simply false.
2016-17
After Durant’s exit, Westbrook went supernova. He became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double (31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists), won MVP, and carried a flawed OKC team to the playoffs (47-35, 6th seed). They lost to Houston in the first round, but no one expected them to go further.
2017-18
OKC traded for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. Westbrook again averaged a triple-double (25.4/10.1/10.3). The Thunder finished 48-34 (4th in the West) but were upset by Utah in the first round. Yes, it was disappointing, but he was still producing at a historic level.
2018-19
Russ averaged a third straight triple-double (22.9/11.1/10.7) and OKC finished 49-33. Paul George had his best season. Still, they lost in five games to Damian Lillard’s Blazers, capped off by the iconic game-winner. This was a tough loss, but not solely on Russ.
2019-20
He joined Houston and James Harden. Russ averaged 27.2 points on a career-high 47.2% shooting and led Houston to a 44-28 record. They beat OKC in the first round and lost to the Lakers in the second. He had a quad injury and missed time, but this was a decent season overall.
2020-21
Westbrook was traded to Washington, averaged another triple-double (22.2/11.5/11.7), and dragged the Wizards to the 8th seed. They lost to Philly in the first round, but he absolutely contributed to their success.
2021-22
The nightmare Lakers season. Russ struggled with fit, LeBron James and Anthony Davis missed games, and the roster was poorly constructed. They missed the playoffs. His 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists weren’t bad, but the chemistry just never clicked.
2022-23
Traded midseason from the Lakers to the Clippers. Westbrook played well down the stretch and had a strong playoff series against Phoenix, averaging 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in five games — even without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They lost, but Russ was excellent.
2023-24
Westbrook stayed with the Clippers but saw his role reduced. Despite stretches of strong play, he had a rough postseason, and the Clippers were eliminated in the first round again. He accepted a bench role, something many veterans refuse to do.
2024-25
Now with the Nuggets, Westbrook is averaging 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Denver is 47-30, but the team has struggled more when Russ plays over 25 minutes (26-25) compared to when he plays under (21-5). Still, he remains a valuable rotation piece on a contender.
And yet, while Wright’s analysis was detailed, the tone bordered on disrespectful. To label one of the most explosive and iconic players of his generation a “net negative” over the last ten years is more than just a basketball opinion—it’s a legacy critique.
We can acknowledge both sides here. Russell Westbrook is a Top 75 player of all time, a former MVP, a nine-time All-Star, and the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles. He’s redefined what a stat-stuffing guard can look like, and when his career is over, he’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
At the same time, his decision-making and shot selection have undeniably been problematic, particularly in late-game situations. There have been high-profile blunders—like the recent fast-break miss and foul that cost the Nuggets a win against the Timberwolves—that fuel fair criticism. For all the intensity and effort he brings, those moments have repeatedly haunted his teams in the playoffs.
His postseason track record is mixed. While Westbrook has had brilliant individual series and has helped lead teams to deep playoff runs—most notably the 2016 Western Conference Finals—he also has a streak of first-round exits.
But he’s far from alone in that category. DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Damian Lillard—all elite guards who haven’t reached the Finals. Even legends like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and John Stockton never won a ring.
So yes, we can see both parts. Westbrook’s journey isn’t one of failure—it’s one of evolution and resilience. He’s flawed, like any player, but he’s also fearless. He played every game like it was his last, and while that hasn’t always translated to postseason glory, it’s earned him the admiration of fans and a permanent place in NBA history.
