Top 5 Point Guards in OKC Thunder History

Apr 15, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) flexes after he was fouled in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Westbrook

Well, this particular guard should be a little more familiar to fans of today’s NBA.

Russell Westbrook has been an electrifying player for this franchise for the past seven years, putting up averages of 21.1 points, 7.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. His production went up dramatically last season when fellow superstar Kevin Durant was forced out of the lineup due to injury and Westbrook responded in monstrous fashion, upping his averages to 28.1 points, 8.6 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game. Additionally, he went on a tear throughout February and March, at one point notching five consecutive triple-doubles and almost singlehandedly carrying the team to a postseason berth.

His inclusion in this list might stir some minor controversy of its own as many of Westbrook’s critics argue that he’s not a “true” point guard, a label that has been harder to define as the league continues to evolve.

But, as I argued here, who cares what position he plays? Westbrook’s athleticism and ability make him one of the most exciting players (perhaps all-time) and I’ve previously compared his explosiveness to that of Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest player in NBA history. While Westbrook’s not there – yet – he’s every bit as dominant in his own way while still creating plays for his teammates.

And that’s good enough for me.

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