Russell Westbrook 'is all about the team'
OKLAHOMA CITY — Veteran Ronnie Price needed just a few days of training camp to categorize the greatness of Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook.
In his 12th year in the NBA, Price has played with future Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. They were both on the downturn of their careers.
Still, neither compared to Westbrook.
“Russ is hands down the best player I’ve ever played with,” Price says after a practice.
Of course, the Thunder have long recognized Westbrook’s abilities.
The do-or-die mentality. The unbelievable fast breaks. The lockdown defense that creates fast-break dunks with a rare viciousness. Even the sometimes agonizing shot selection they are forced to live with in good and bad times.
Now, without Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka for the first time in his career, the thought is that all those traits will create a Westbrook show that’s must-see every night.
“I think that’s what people think,” Thunder guard Andre Roberson says. “I think he’s going to be more team-oriented, and sharing the ball is definitely a big part. And I feel like he kind of sensed that last year in the playoffs. Ball movement is really key and not caring who is getting the credit of who is scoring.
“That’s the way you beat teams instead of relying on stats and all that other stuff, and what does it really matter. If winning games really means that much, I think he’ll do what’s right.”
Westbrook — in the eyes of Oklahoma City fans — already did the right thing.
A month after Durant announced his decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors, Westbrook agreed to sign a contract extension with Oklahoma City. He would have been a free agent after this season.
He went from being viewed as a sidekick to being the man.
“I think Russell is all about the team,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan says. “And I think his role in terms of not just about him but everybody, our team collectively working and trying to build an identity, working and building on our system, and I think he obviously takes great pride in being a leader to help facilitate that. But I don’t think it’s necessarily been about Russell and his role.
“I mean, Russell is going to do what Russell does, and he does it at a very high level. But it’s really more about our team and how we’re going to progress moving forward together as a group.”
History has shown that Westbrook can carry the Thunder without Durant.
In 2014-15 with Durant missing 55 games because of injuries, Westbrook turned into a true leader. He led the league in scoring (28.1 points per game), posted a league-leading 11 triple-doubles and nearly carried the severely depleted Thunder to the playoffs.
More important, his intensity remained the same on the court, but he also embraced his teammates. Outbursts he had been known for were scarce.
After the season, Westbrook talked about how he had to learn those traits and how he could be a better leader when he put his mind to it.
Then last season — with Durant healthy — he averaged 23.5 points, 10.4 assists and 7.8 rebounds. He recorded 18 triple-doubles and made the All-NBA team. He was huge in getting Oklahoma City one win from the NBA Finals.
“He was our leader last year, too,” Thunder center Enes Kanter says.
The belief is the Thunder will adopt Westbrook’s hard-charging style of play and he’ll return to the numbers that he put up in Durant’s absence, making a push for the MVP award with a team that no longer has the Big Three.
“It’s not totally up to me how we play,” Westbrook says. “We have to adjust to how guys play. My job is to be able to adjust to Steven (Adams) and Roberson; those guys have gotten better. We have to be able to adjust to the team you have, adjust on a night-in, night-out basis how you want to play.”
The Thunder will be versatile with Westbrook and new shooting guard Victor Oladipo. Both can be elite defenders and have special scoring abilities.
But the Thunder will adjust based on matchups.
“I think we have to be able to play in a way that’s not just relying on him to do everything and create every single shot, whether it’s him making the shot or making the play for another guy,” Thunder veteran Nick Collison says. “I think it will start with the pace we play at and trying to get easy shots and then being able to flow right into offense and be really able to execute and create shots in the offensive end.
“And then on the defensive end, I think, you know, losing Kevin, losing some scoring, we are going to have to be really solid there every night. Our level of play has to be solid to be very consistent to where every night defensively we’re making it hard for teams to score.”
Last postseason’s formula was perfect for Westbrook.
Play tough, aggressive defense. Push, push and push some more. Westbrook says he’ll still play with that style. The Thunder need that style of Westbrook.
It’ll be worth watching each night.
“All I know is he’s going to do what he does,” Adams says. “He’s going to do whatever he can to win. That’s what I can expect from him, because he’s done that for his whole life.”