Monday, May 9, 2011

Why I do not like Russell Westbrook

I was having a coversation with somebody and I stated my clear distaste in Russell Westbrook.  He pointed out that Westbrook averages only three points less than Rose and more assissts and rebounds than Rose.  But basketball is not all about the "most" important statistics.  He has a worse shooting percentage than Derrick Rose, he commits a lot of turnovers, even though some of them are good ideas.  He gets to the basket very often but he doesn't finish very well around the basket because he is often out of control.  He also needs to pass the ball more to Kevin Durant, the leading scorer in the league.
Kevin Durant needs to recieve the ball way more.  Westbrook is such a ballhog, it is different for Rose, because Rose is supposed to be the star of the team.  Durant, some people might argue, is the best player in the league.  I wouldn't even put Westbrook in the top 20.  I'm sure Scott Brooks has told him this but it is Westbrook's nature.  Westbrook played off the ball in college because of Darren Collison, you can see why.  If Westbrook ever touched the ball, Collison, the star on that team, never would have goten the ball. 
Russell Westbrook, is a good player with a lot of promise, but for him to fulfill that, he needs to become a better passer.  Westbrook, while on the Thunder, will never be the star, and if he doesn't understand that, then the Oklahoma City organization has to make some changes. 
The Thunder are a good, young team with a couple of young stars and a great post defender.  Sefolosha is a good defender and a decent scorer.  But the Thunder need a third scorer that will not take a ton of shots.  Do this, and they could be an elite team.