Russell Westbrook: More Than Just Triple-Doubles

I don’t think people realize just how great Russell Westbrook really was. I certainly didn’t fully appreciate it until I started looking through his career statistics and accomplishments.

I always knew Westbrook was an elite player. His records alone make that pretty clear, especially his record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history. But the more I looked into his career, the more I realized there was so much more to his game than the triple-doubles. Westbrook was an incredibly productive scorer, rebounder, and playmaker who consistently filled up the stat sheet.

Over his 18-year career, Westbrook averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. During his MVP season in 2016-17, he took his scoring to another level, averaging 31.6 points per game while becoming just the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season.

His 2020-21 season was another impressive chapter in his career. Westbrook averaged a career-high 11.5 rebounds per game while leading the NBA in assists at 11.7 per game. He led the league in assists three times and scoring twice.

The list of his accomplishments is impressive. Westbrook was a nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, three-time assists champion, two-time scoring champion, two-time All-Star Game MVP, and a member of the 2009 All-Rookie Team. He also won the 2017 NBA MVP award and was selected to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.

And, of course, there are the records.

Westbrook owns the most triple-doubles in NBA history, a record that has become one of the defining parts of his legacy. But what surprised me the most while researching his career was discovering just how much he accomplished beyond that.

He has scored more points than any other point guard in NBA history and has also collected the most rebounds ever by a point guard. He ranks fourth all-time among point guards in assists as well. Those numbers really put into perspective how complete of a player Westbrook was throughout his career.

One of the most memorable parts of his career came with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Alongside a young Kevin Durant and a young James Harden, Westbrook helped lead the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals. The young trio was still developing, however, and Oklahoma City ultimately fell to the Big Three Miami Heat in five games.

Unfortunately for Westbrook, that was his only trip to the NBA Finals.

When I look at Westbrook's career as a whole, there really shouldn't be much debate about his Hall of Fame status. His statistics, awards, records, longevity, and impact on the game make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

As Westbrook's playing career comes to an end, I just want to say thank you for everything he brought to basketball during the era in which I grew up watching the NBA. Whether you loved his aggressive style or criticized his decisions on the court, there was never much doubt that Westbrook played with an incredible amount of passion and intensity.

I didn’t fully appreciate how great he was while watching him in real time. Looking back at everything he accomplished has given me greater appreciation for his career.

Now, the next step is the Hall of Fame.