In a recent segment on his podcast “The Why,” NBA legend Dwyane Wade opened up on the pecking order in Oklahoma City. While some would argue that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken the top spot, Wade says Russell Westbrook still holds a claim as the best player in franchise history.
“I still think that Russell Westbrook is the greatest player in Oklahoma City history right now,” said Wade. “Bro, Russ averaged a triple-double four times. He went and did something that will never ever be done again. He did it four times. Player to Player. (Shai) has only done two years.”
As a three-time NBA champion and 13x All-Star, Dwyane Wade knows greatness more than most. He’s played alongside stars such as Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James while establishing his own legacy of success. He’s been retired for years now, but his career continues to set the standard for players today.
So when he says that Russell Westbrook is the greatest Thunder player ever, it carries some weight. He played against Westbrook several times, including in the 2012 NBA Finals, when he won his first title with LeBron. He experienced Westbrook’s ferocity first-hand, and it clearly left a strong impression.
Ultimately, while Russ didn’t end up staying with the Thunder, he accomplished a lot in 11 years there. From 2008-2019, he was the heart and soul of that team and served as their fearless leader in the years after Kevin Durant left. In 821 games, he averaged 23.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 43.4% shooting from the field and 30.8% shooting from three.
That’s not counting his list of accolades, which includes eight All-Star appearances, two scoring titles, and an MVP in 2017. Arguably, his greatest achievement of all is averaging a triple-double in four separate seasons.
For many fans, Westbrook embodied the spirit of the Thunder. As someone who gave 110% on every possession, he never left anything on the table and set the example for his teammates on giving maximum effort. Still, when it comes to winning at the highest levels, Russ falls short. He only made the Finals once and has yet to return since.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going for his second-straight championship. Last year, after beating the Pacers in the Finals, he did what Russ never could and finally brought the Larry O’Brien trophy to Oklahoma. He also won the Finals MVP in the process, cementing his name in OKC history forever.
Based on that alone, Shai probably has the better case for being Oklahoma City’s greatest NBA athlete, but that doesn’t mean Westbrook’s legacy has diminished. In fact, with the veteran guard still playing, there’s still a chance he might return there to finish what he started 17 years ago.
