Thursday, September 30th, 2010 at 8:00 am  |  87 responses

Top 50: Russell Westbrook, no. 24

The definitive ranking of the NBA’s best players.

by Todd Spehr

It was symbolism personified. Roughly an hour before the Thunder’s Game 6 match-up with the Lakers in the West first round last season, a determined media scrum was fixated on one thing: Kevin Durant. His stall is in the far left corner of OKC’s locker room, and no less than a dozen reporters were within close proximity, asking him questions ranging from Ron Artest to the kids who hang near his driveway to the growing bond between his team and his city. Two seats to the right sat Russell Westbrook, who was taking in some game film all by his lonesome, the spillover of media from Durant’s stall threatening to invade his space. A prominent writer/TV personality stopped by briefly, there was an exchanging of small talk, and he then went back to Durant. They always do. Unfazed, Westbrook went back to watching film.

Arguably Oklahoma City’s most effective player in that Lakers series (and unarguably their most efficient), Westbrook’s transformation from 9-minutes-per-game freshmaRussell Westbrookn at UCLA just three years ago to one of the League’s young stars is nothing short of remarkable. For observant folk, there’s a unique correlation between Westbrook’s place on this list and the amount of players who are selected to play in the All-Star Game every year. Yes, Westbrook is that good, even if he seems destined to remain under Durant’s suddenly immense shadow, a position Westbrook appears to be more than happy in.

One can’t talk about Westbrook without talking about his most important summer – not this one gone by, where he broke open games for Team USA at the World Championships with regularity, but the one that preceded it, in 2009. Thunder general manager Sam Presti asked Westbrook to participate in the summer league with hopes that the athletically gifted yet sometimes erratic rookie could further learn the point guard position. So Westbrook played – in Orlando, in Las Vegas. The Thunder sent out coaches regularly to his Los Angeles home to run him through extensive workouts. Westbrook attended a Team USA mini-camp. Then, perhaps most importantly, that August the Thunder hired Maurice Cheeks, a controlled point guard if there ever was, as an assistant coach. Oklahoma City’s intentions weren’t exactly subtle.

What followed was maturation. Westbrook found himself in the top 10 in the League for assists, including 28 games in double-figures, and nightly walked the tightrope that every (young) point walks of best knowing when to pass and when to score. He’s 21, and he’s learning.

Westbrook certainly isn’t the prototypical point guard, but for today’s game, he’s about right. Abnormally athletic – USA coach Mike Krzyzewski called him one of the elite athletes in the world this summer – and explosive, Westbrook is just as effective as a scorer as he is a playmaker. That’s the nature of the position now. The paint is where he makes his living, but he’s also developed something of a go-to move – his pull-up jumper with the defender on his heels, praying he doesn’t blow by.

Westbrook’s playoff debut was somewhat surprising – the bright lights didn’t faze, the Lakers had to adjust to him, and there were stretches where he was the best player on the floor (notably in parts of Games 3 and 4).

That carried over to this summer, where in the Team USA pecking order he began somewhere behind Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo and finished somewhere in front of them; games were changed when he entered, rims were rocked when he leapt, the crunch time minutes belonging to him. The end result was a gold medal and Westbrook certainly played a part.

It might even be enough to get some reporters to his locker.

SLAMonline TOP 50 PLAYERS OVERALL RANK POSITION RANK
Player Team Position 2010 2009 2010 2009
Ray Allen Celtics SG 50 36 11 10
Gilbert Arenas Wizards SG 49 34 10 9
Lamar Odom Lakers PF 48 33 14 10
John Wall Wizards PG 47 NR 13 NR
OJ Mayo Grizzlies SG 46 46 9 12
Al Horford Hawks C 45 NR 6 NR
Jason Kidd Mavs PG 44 45 12 10
Joakim Noah Bulls C 43 NR 5 NR
LaMarcus Aldridge Blazers PF 42 39 13 12
David West Hornets PF 41 31 12 8
Monta Ellis Warriors SG 40 NR 8 NR
Andrew Bogut Bucks C 39 NR 4 NR
Yao Ming Rockets C 38 NR 3 NR
Brandon Jennings Bucks PG 37 NR 11 NR
Zach Randolph Grizzlies PF 36 NR 11 NR
Stephen Curry Warriors PG 35 NR 10 NR
David Lee Warriors PF 34 NR 10 NR
Brook Lopez Nets C 33 NR 2 NR
Gerald Wallace Bobcats SF 32 NR 6 NR
Manu Ginobili Spurs SG 31 29 7 8
Tony Parker Spurs PG 30 15 9 3
Kevin Garnett Celtics PF 29 13 9 3
Rudy Gay Grizzlies SF 28 44 5 9
Josh Smith Hawks PF 27 40 8 13
Andre Iguodala 76ers SG 26 26 6 7
Al Jefferson Jazz PF 25 23 7 7
Russell Westbrook Thunder PG 24 NR 8 NR

Notes
• Rankings are based solely on projected ’10-11 performance.
• Contributors to this list include: Jeremy Bauman, Maurice Bobb, Erildas Budraitis, Sean Ceglinsky, Ben Collins, Bryan Crawford, Sandy Dover, Adam Figman, Manny Maduakolam, Eddie Maisonet, Ryne Nelson, Doobie Okon, Ben Osborne, Charles Peach, Branden Peters, Quinn Peterson, David Schnur, Todd Spehr, Kyle Stack, Adam Sweeney, Dennis Tarwood, Tracy Weissenberg, Lang Whitaker, Eric Woodyard, and Nima Zarrabi.
• Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive.

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  • LeoneL

    Eff Clay Bennett.

  • starky larky

    21 and mature with that much athleticism? yeah, he’s gonna be a star.

  • don

    we’re into the allstars now….

  • stever3434

    I disagree with this one

  • http://www.twitter.com/notebooknick NotebookNick

    I’m curious where Jeff Green gets placed. I don’t think he’s better than Westbrook, but I do think Green is better than David West.

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    Green is a glue guy, and he isn’t one as prominent as Noah so he gets left off this list and rightly so IMO.

  • JTaylor21

    WHAAAAAAT Jeff F*CKING Green is better than West, KID PLEASE. Green is a jump shooting, undersized PF and nothing more, in the LA series dude kept on shooting and shooting like he had a shot and every time he went up for another one I was screaming at the TV at top of my lungs for him to stop. I bet that OKC would trade his sorry a** for West in a second. Also DRose is better than RBrook but not by much.

  • twinparadox

    JTaylor21 surely has something up his a**…but yeah I agree Jeff f*cking green ( is that his middle name? lol) isn’t better than West, but you make him sound like he’s Kwame Brown! Green’s a glue guy and he’s great in the locker room, he does those little things on the floor that doesn’t show up on the stat sheets too, and OKC would have to think about it for quite a while if a trade proposal for West would’ve come…About westbrook though…I’m looking for a huge season from him

  • Bojangles

    You do realize that david west is a undersized jump shooting pf too right?

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    I definitely think Westbrook is better than Rose. He’s more athletic, has a better jumpshot, and is a much better defender. I think this is too low for this kid especially if Rose is top 20.

  • Cool007

    Kap:

    Westbrook is more athletic than Rose? Has a better jumpshot???

    Take your blinders off and watch and if you don’t watch then go look up the advanced stats and come back before just making stuff up.

    Rose is and always will be more athletic and a much better jump shooter than Westbrook ever will be.

    Durant and Westbrook are my other 2 fav players and I think Westbrook will be the better player than Rondo too when Rondo won’t have 3 HOFers as his teammates anymore.

    I think Westbrook is perfectly rated for now until I see who is rated above him.

  • Jer Dawg

    Yeah, Westbrook isn’t too far behind Derrick Rose. Rose is just better dribbling than Russell. Both run, jump, and shoot the same level. If Rose played more off the ball at World Championships then we’d be hyping Rose more than Westbrook now. PG is such a responsibility. Rubio is a TO machine and ppl saying he’s better than most PG out there? Joke!

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  • melloyellow

    Is tyreke really gonna be in the top 20??

  • http://www.slamonline.com J

    Athleticism wise, i think Westbrook is a notch higher than Rose. Maybe a little. And though both are ugly behind the arc I’d take Westbrook to make that shot. He looked more capable of being a shooter compared to Rose. I like Green but I think he would be better as a spark plug off the bench and give way for a more defensive frontline of Ibaka and Kristic/Aldrich

  • JTaylor21

    No way in HELL that Westbrook is a better athlete than Rose, not even close. You guys need to go watch Rose’s high-school/college dunks and you’ll see, he just doesn’t try to dunk as much in the NBA. Rose is also a better mid-range shooter, faster, stronger, and finisher better around the rim. Give me Rose for the rest of their careers.

  • hangtime Hec

    West and Green are both undersized PFs with underwhelming rebounding numbers. If he was was going to show up, he would have, 20 places ago.

  • http://slamonline.com/ Ryne Nelson

    Eight PGs in the Top 24. Since when has the League seen so many talented lead guards?

  • http://www.fiba.com Darksaber

    Luv this guy’s utterly relentless game. Must have clanked 4 dunks on the back rim during the WBC’s. And during the LA/OKC series, was so fun to see him grow before our eyes. Jeff Green on the other hand was quite overwhelmed by his 1st playoff appearance. That FG%… ugh.

  • http://www.slamonline.com J

    Rose is not shooting jumpshots from midrange. He’s doing floaters. Rose is better than Westbrook but i think the latter is catching up fast. Rose is a better and more efficient scorer, Russ is a tiny better passer (6.8 to 6.0 if I’m not mistaken), a better defender, better in FT’s and better shooter from the arc (again if I’m not mistaken).

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    JTaylor21
    How can you not believe Westbrook is the most athletic point guard in the league? I know Rose is a legend and its blasphemy to say anything slightly bad about the guy but I think the World Championships and the Lakers series proved Westbrook arguably is gonna if not already better than Rose.

  • b

    How is tyreke ahead of westbrook? That is crazy…

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    @Kap – No Westbrook is not better and never will be better then Derrick Rose at basketball. He may play well, or have played well against the Lakers but he did it as the 2nd option, thus translating to the 2nd worry on the Lakers list behind some guy named Kevin Durant.

    @JTaylor – Westbrook may just be the most athletic PG ever. He measured out as a better athlete then Rose at the draft combine and everything. (well John Wall might take that distinction now)

  • add

    i dont know if hes better than iggs

  • Overtime

    I woulda put Green somewhere on this list.
    But anyways, Westbrook is pretty dam good. Not just raw athletism but skilld to match and as people have said, mature. He’s not all just about big crossovers.
    In a great situation aswell

  • http://bulls.com airs

    rose > westbrook.
    any day.

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    You guys are crazy if you think there’s a big gap between Rose and Westbrook. Westbrook is Francis 2.0 with a good attitude.

  • http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/19964/black-people-arent-livid-at-lebron-james nbk

    no he isn’t, not even close. Steve Francis was far and away better at everything on the offensive end then Westbrook. Francis was/is the most talented offensive small guard we have seen since iverson. Derrick Rose is better then Westbrook, and as long as he is the primary banana for his team, and westbrook is second banana for his, Rose will continue to improve at a faster rate.

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    There was a reason Coach K played this guy more and at the end of games than D. Rose. Being the second best player on the Thunder doesn’t mean that he will not improve as quickly as D. Rose it will actually help him because he can progress without all the pressure. I’m not knocking Rose in any kind of way but Westbrook is a great defender, fast as hell, and has a pretty nice pull up jumper. He’s definitely getting better at the three, is a great passer, and is the most athletic pg in the league. He was blocking 7 footers shots in the WBC.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    NBK
    Define “small guard.”
    Is Dwill a small guard?

  • unrel

    westbrook/rose… rose/westbrook.. reality is.. it’s hard to tell who’s better.. it all depends on the system they’re in.. but if i had to choose between the two.. i’d choose r-dub.. because his D is obviously better than rose’s IMO.. doesn’t mean he’s better.. just means that’s who i’d run with..

  • JTaylor21

    Sure 6-3 200 pounds is a “small” guard, HAAA.

  • Elvis Freshly

    Far as athleticism goes… Westbrook has Rose’s number.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Westbrook might Rose on raw burst and ups.
    Body control, might go to Rose.
    I’m a big fan of them both. My favorite guards are Dwil, Rose and Westbrook now that Iverson is dead to the NBA.

  • http://Slamonline.com Nbk

    Yeah I would qualify deron as a small guard ehh idk though that’s an opinion thing. I was being absent minded with that generalization, I wasnt even considering deron Williams and chris Paul that is my mistake. I just wanted Yo make a point that westbrooks game is nothing like francis’ except for their jumping ability

  • PlanetAsia14

    I like his placement on this one… Good call.

  • Bradman151

    Where the f**k Is my man Brandon Jennings is he gonna be top 20?

  • http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/19964/black-people-arent-livid-at-lebron-james nbk

    @JTaylor you once again are ridiculous…6’3 – 200 lbs is not big. its not small compared to a normal person but in the NBA it is 4 inches shorter and 25 pounds less then the average player. So yes its small

  • unrel
  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    NBK
    You can’t compare point guards to the average player anymore than you can compare them to the average player.
    For a point guard 6’3″ and 200 pounds is pretty much prototypical size, and in today’s game, probably qualifies as a big guard depending on your body fat content.
    And Westbrook wishes he had the handle Francis had and the shiftiness. Westbrook plays like a two guard, but he’s stuck in a one’s body.

  • SpaceJam

    Whoever says Westbrook is better than d rose knows nothing about basketball. They are both 2 of the fastest guards in the league but i give the speed notch to rose. Rose jump just as high if not higher and is much bigger. Rose is one of the best mid-range shooters in the league and is a much better finisher. Rose is a much better ball-handler and plays under more control.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    Westbrook is so talented, How talented is he? He will be better than Derrick Rose and has the chance to be the best point guard in the league. BOOK IT!!!

  • http://slamonline.com JL

    rose knows his limitations much better than westbrook does and still can be productive. in my mind westbrook is also improving like rose but he’s got more free reign, taking inefficient for him jump shots and lower FG%. Rose could take those low pct jump shots too but to help him team win he takes drives etc. rose also finishes better than westbrook. we’ll see this year as rose gets boozer to work with.

  • slick ric

    I like westbrook and Rose, so I dont wanna get crazy over this debate, but I believe rose is better by a small margin, who ever said westbrook is a better shooter than rose obviously does not watch games. I believe Rose is more athletic than westbrook because it’s proof that he runs faster and jumps higher but Westbrook has better explosivness, kinda like Wade

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I said guard. Small Guards. Not small point guards. I was going to say player all together, but then I thought about it and wanted to just compare him to smaller guards. Durant is arguably the most skilled offensive player at this young of an age ever so i didn’t want to leave any room for him to be included. Once again, I literally was just trying to seperate Westbrook’s game from him being called “Steve Francis 2.0 with a better attitude,” and wanted to draw attention to Steve Francis as an offensive super power, and Westbrook as largely a moer defensive oriented player. Does that make sense?

  • TLJ

    Rose is Starbury 2.0 only he doesn’t shoot as well.

    Comparing Rose to Westbrook is stupid as they are different types of players. Rose is a 2 playing the 1 because of size. He’s a shoot first player and had low assists at the rim last year. When he penetrates he looks to score.
    He’s not a great defender but is great at getting into the lane and getting his shot.

    Westbrook is better at breaking down a D, and looks to pass more, but is not as good as a finisher as Rose. He’s a far superior on the ball defender and one of the top 2 or 3 rebounding PG’s.

    Rose is the player you want over Westbrook if your team doesn’t already have a legit 1st option. Westbrook is the player you want if you’re looking for more of a floor general to run your offense but not be the first option.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    That’s why I asked you to define “small guard.”
    I didn’t know if you meant a small point guard, or small for either a two guard or point guard. That makes a big difference.
    Dwill is small for a two guard, perfect size for a point guard.

  • Overtime

    So does this mean Tyreke over Westbrook?
    Cos seriously, no no no.
    He had better be in tommorow’s spot (although even then he still shouldnt be above Westbrook)

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    The fact that Derrick Rose seems to be the measuring stick by which all other point guards not named Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd or Chauncey Billups are measured speaks for itself.

  • http://Slamonline.com Nbk

    I hear you Allen that’s my fault

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