Russell Westbrook is a better leader than Kevin Durant

Mar 11, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) is announced prior to action against the Utah Jazz at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

That’s right, I said it. Russell Westbrook is a better leader than Kevin Durant, and I will tell you exactly why.

Ever since Kevin Durant left, Russell Westbrook has been in the spotlight. Analysts and fans everywhere said the Thunder were done as a team. They said Westbrook would be gone. They said the Thunder would not make the playoffs. Now, they all are biting their tongues.

Obviously the Thunder are not a top seed without a player like Durant, but they are still doing fine. Last year, the Thunder had the three seed in the West. As of today they have the six seed and they are only a half a game out of 5th seed.

With 14 games remaining on the season, achieving the four seed isn’t impossible (they are 3.5 games out). If you told fans and analysts that the Thunder would have a chance at the four seed after losing Durant many would call you crazy.

So, what does this have to do with Durant and Westbrook being leaders? Tons and tons of people have said Westbrook was the one who brought Durant down when in reality it is the exact opposite.

Durant to Warriors

Adding KD to the Golden State Warriors made them seem unstoppable, but ever since he joined, they have had chemistry and depth issues. Yes, when Durant is on the floor, the Warriors are one of the best teams in the NBA. But look at Stephen Curry.

Curry has become so passive ever since Durant arrived – he is not the same player as last year. This opens up the question that maybe Durant is the alpha male and not Westbrook like everyone believed for so long.

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Durant in fact, demands too much. Sure he is a great player, but he makes players around him worse to be honest. Curry is shooting a career low from the three and the field. Klay Thompson is about the same, but Draymond Green is averaging career lows since becoming a starter as well. Considering these are current stats, I am sure they were worse when Durant was playing since he has been out for a while now.

The same can be said for when he was in OKC. Westbrook is averaging career numbers in every category. Towards the end of his stay in Oklahoma City Ibaka was an afterthought. When James Harden was here, he was a shadow of what he is now.

Russell Westbrook’s leadership

Now, let’s take a look at Westbrook’s teammates. Victor Oladipo is averaging career highs from the field and three point land since arriving in OKC. Oladipo is also averaging an astounding 73% from three and 56% from the field since the all-star break.

Steven Adams is averaging career highs in every category. Andre Roberson is averaging career highs. Enes Kanter is one of the top contenders for sixth man of the year. Most of his teammates are having career years, while most of Durant’s teammates are having career low years.

Westbrook decided to stay with OKC instead of dart to a better team and take the easy way out. Durant also claimed he loved OKC, but left after times got a little tough.

So far, Westbrook is sticking it out. Westbrook could have left this offseason or demanded a trade and nobody would have blamed him. Instead, he said this is my team and city and I am not leaving them.

Don’t get me wrong. Durant is a great player that anyone would want to play for, but this persona that nobody wants to play for Westbrook is false. Getting free agents to come play in OKC is already tough, but most who get drafted or traded to OKC, never complain about the leadership. They only have positive things to say.

The LeBron James effect

What is happening in Golden State right now is similar to what happened in Miami in 2010. LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to go join Dwayne Wade and make a super team. A highly hated decision ended in failure the first season. The Heat would eventually fall to the champion Dallas Mavericks. Sure, eventually they ended up winning two championships during LeBron’s stay, but Wade had to be the flexible one.

Steph Curry is the Dwayne Wade of the Warriors. He was the go-to guy and the city’s loved one. Now with Durant, Curry has had to change his game and be more flexible. With Durant as the go-to guy now, Curry has had to adjust. Eventually they will get it figured out in a year or two, but this is almost a mirror image of the 2010 Miami Heat.

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It would not surprise me at all if the Warriors do not win the championship this year. Their chemistry since Durant arrived was already rocky. Since he has been out, they are losing more games because they have no depth and are trying to adjust to losing an MVP candidate. Once Durant comes back, it will take even more adjusting. You definitely do not want chemistry issues going into the playoffs, and the Warriors will have exactly that.

Westbrook is flexible

In the end, people have have made the wrong assumptions about Westbrook and Durant. For years everyone thought KD was the leader, but in the end he really showed no leadership skills at all. Up 3-1 on the Warriors with a chance to bring OKC their first title, he choked. It pained me to see it as a fan, but that’s a fact.

When Durant decided to leave, he showed zero leadership as well. The Thunder were one game away from the Finals. Sam Presti made a trade for a great two guard to try and get Durant to stay but he gave up. Great leaders don’t give up.

In the end, we found out that Westbrook was more flexible. Westbrook came to Durant and asked him how HE can change to make Durant stay.

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You know, the guy who apparently nobody wants to play with swallowed his pride and asked how he can help to change. Westbrook is different from NBA players today. He doesn’t joke around on the court and play games. He comes out every night to win.

Westbrook doesn’t stick around after games and go out to party with friends. He plays the game and goes home to his wife and soon to be baby. He is a family guy who just wants to do right for his team and win a championship.

During these final 14 games and into the playoffs, we will really see how Westbrook can handle the pressure of the go-to guy in clutch situations. Something he ranks in as number one in the NBA if I must remind you.

If the Thunder can win a playoff series or make it to the Western Conference Finals, there will be no denying that not only is Westbrook a better leader than Durant, but that he is a better player.