The Russell Westbrook Implosion

Why an inefficient one-man show is no formula for success.

NBA

Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to implode this year. The combination of Westbrook’s selfish alpha ego and the media’s ability to create conflict and reinforce false beliefs will mix into a concoction that OKC cannot contain.

The sinking ship started when Kevin Durant left town. The media went to work when it got wind that Westbrook felt slighted on KD’s way out. Reporters did not report but rather writers wrote. They set up a narrative that KD wanted out of OKC and away from Westbrook. Writers took any quote from KD’s honest reflection about his new team and “twisted” it to fit their story.

In reality, KD took an opportunity for his own personal growth as a man and as a basketball player in joining the Warriors. He then gave an honest assessment about his new team’s “selfless” environment. Last year the Warriors led the league in assists by a whopping 3.3 assists per game. The difference between the Warriors and second on-the-list Hawks is same gap as between the Hawks and the 13^th ranked Nets. “Selfless” is exactly how you describe that kind of environment.

When a reporter relayed KD’s comments Westbrook took the bait. He responded with a “that’s cute” and “we’re going to worry about all the selfish guys we have over here apparently.” Westbrook clearly took it as a dig and his bothered reaction is only going to cause writers to stroke the fire all season.

Westbrook is in fact a selfish player. He’s all-world athlete at the point guard position but he ball hogs. His two most recent all-star games tell a story.

In 2016 on the West’s team he missed as many shots (11) as Kobe Bryant attempted (11). He heaved up a 7-17 line from three-point range, his weakest skillset. He took more three-point shots than stud deep rangers Curry (13), Harden (12) and Thompson (10). He missed more threes in the game than each of ice-cold Thompson’s 3-10 and KD’s 1-8.  He had more turnovers (3) on his team than anyone other than Paul (4) who dropped 16 dimes versus Westbrook’s 5. In 2015, coming off the bench he still missed more shots (12) than seven of his teammates attempted. He dished out one assist in over 25 minutes.

Unfortunately, both games he was awarded the game MVP mainly because he racked up the most points on the winning team. His selfish gameplay continually gets reinforced from applause from all around. Pundits construe his style as pure aggression and killer instinct. Westbrook is exciting to watch, but his efficiency will doom his team.

It is only fitting that Mr. Kobe Bryant would praise Westbrook has having a similar killer instinct. In Westbrook’s second game this season he scored 51 points, but on an atrociously high 44 attempts. That efficiency is old-Kobe bad. There is a reason Kobe shooting poorly resulted in cellar dweller Lakers. The fact that Kobe’s final night overshadowed a 73-win season mark is reflective of a misinformed audience. Yes, Kobe scored 60 points, but on 50 shots! Take Curry’s efficiency that same night and double his shot attempts and he is bucketing over 92 points.

The fallacy that individual points scored regardless of efficiency doomed the Lakers the past few years and it will doom the Thunder. Without KD and with Westbrook leading the charge in 2015 the Thunder missed the playoffs. This year Westbrook will continue to drop stat stuffing numbers, but the Thunder will struggle. Factor in they lost their defensive stalwart in Serge Ibaka who also spaced the floor. The team that led the world in standing around and watching one of their two guys go one-on-one, lost their most efficient one-on-one guy in KD. They are now turning the reins to Westbrook to take on the world by himself.

Sure the Thunder won their first two games. But a late comeback win against the Sixers? And overtime at home to the Suns? Please.

Best case scenario the Thunder are either James Harden’s Rockets last year or Anthony Davis’s Pelicans two years ago that eked out a bottom spot in the playoffs only to get tossed in the first round. Maybe for the Thunder and their small market, making the playoffs is gold, but for Westbrook it will not be enough. Writers will continue to remind him how far away from a championship he truly is.

His 44-shot night shows how little faith he has in his teammates. When things start to go bad, Westbrook won’t ease up on the gas and try to work his teammates in more. He will spurn his trust that others can get it done and assume that he can do it all. He started to become this player even with the four-time scoring champ by his side.

Without KD, Westbrook will imagine it is Russ or bust. But the day will come when all Russ is bust. When that realization occurs the question is does Westbrook stay in OKC?