OKC Thunder Offseason Improvement Series: Russell Westbrook
By Dean Turner
In the Offseason Improvement Series, we’ll take a look at each player on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s roster and determine what they need to improve on this offseason. Russell Westbrook is up first.
It seems a bit silly to discuss Russell Westbrook needing improvement after he just averaged a triple-double over the course of an entire season but you know what they say: There’s always room for improvement! Westbrook can improve in a couple of different categories, the first of which is basketball IQ.
Basketball IQ
At times, Westbrook can be extremely difficult and even aggravating to watch. He’s so good at so many things but often opts to go away from those things in favor of something he’s not as good at. It’s just so tantalizing. An example: This past regular season, the Thunder played the Rockets in early January. The game was highly competitive and ultimately came down to the wire.
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It was 116-116 and the Thunder had possession with about 20 seconds left. What did Westbrook do? He shot a 25-footer and missed. Now, had that shot gone in, Westbrook would’ve been a hero. But, even if it had gone in, it still would’ve been a bad shot. Why — in a tie ballgame — would someone who gets to the rim at will, shoot a pull-up 25 footer? I’m dying to know.
This is an area Westbrook needs to improve in. If Westbrook comes back next year with a greater understanding of the game of basketball, he along with the Thunder will be that much better.
Shooting
In today’s NBA, shooting is of the essence. There’s never been a bigger premium on shooting than there is right now. As many know, Westbrook is far from the best shooter in the NBA.
This year, Westbrook shot 34 percent on three-pointers and 35 percent on two-point field goal attempts 16+ feet from the basket. His three-point shooting percentage, while improved, is still less than desirable. And, his mid-range shooting percentage is fairly bad. This is why Westbrook needs to get in the gym right after he’s done brushing up his IQ in the film room.
For a full shot chart check out PointAfter.com
On an A-F scale, Westbrook is probably somewhere in the C+ range as a shooter. If he can get that grade up to the B range he’ll have a realistic shot at usurping LeBron as the best player in the world.
*Watches LeBron casually spin the ball in Serge Ibaka’s face and drop a three in route to another blowout playoff victory*
Okay, maybe he won’t usurp LeBron because that’s near impossible, but you get the point! Westbrook would be a full-blown weapon of mass destruction with an improved jumper.
In Conclusion
Russell Westbrook needs to work on two things this summer: His IQ and his jumper. If he can find a way to improve both, he may be able to take the Thunder on a deep run next postseason.