Russell Westbrook let the light of the night shine on his teammates

He is the 2017 NBA MVP. The Most Valuable Player crown officially belongs to Russell Westbrook.

Russell Westbrook had the Oklahoma City Thunder and its young roster on his back all season. He carried them through the wins and tried his best to shield them from the outside noise that came after losses.  He was the face of the franchise after the departure of the 2014 MVP, Kevin Durant.

The spotlight belonged to him fully for the first time in his NBA career. Westbrook has long been the scapegoat for Oklahoma City Thunder — quietly taking the hits that would carom off of Durant and land into his lap instead. This past season showed that Westbrook was willing to take that criticism, but still only focus on the team.

The Thunder needed Westbrook this season more than ever. They needed his astronomical triple doubles, his effervescent personality and his newfound leadership. Yet when the world was finally giving him his due, he didn’t bask in it. Not in the way you or I would if all our hard work was at long last being validated. Instead, Russ chose to finally lift the shield away from his teammates. Ironically, the very shied Russ meant to use as protection also doubled as a lampshade.

All season, the narrative was that Westbrook had no help. The team lacked talent after the turnover last summer. The truth of the matter is, everything that OKC accomplished came with some level of aid from the other 14 players. All of their efforts just happened to come in the shroud of Westbrook’s persona.

Russell knew that. So he decided, for one night, to allow everyone a glimpse at the people he so proudly protected.

As he stood at the microphone, accepting his personal accolades, five Thunder players stood behind him beaming with pride. Nick Collison, Andre Roberson, Taj Gibson, Enes Kanter, Victor Oladipo.

Nick Collison

The only member of the team that has been around since Westbrook entered the league. He has seen the ups, downs, and curvatures of his Point Guard’s career. From his struggles to fit his game and personality in the league, to his foibles in his first ever NBA Finals. Collison has seen it all.

Westbrook, the unearthly point guard who plays like the world is ending finally reached a place of peace. Nick has been there to help navigate Russ through all of the turmoil that comes with success. To watch Collison witness Westbrook win MVP was truly a full circle moment.

Andre Roberson

Second Team All-Defensive forward Andre Roberson is a veteran on the team at this point. Drafted in 2012, Roberson has seen his share of criticism – namely for his offense. However, he never put his head down. This season more than ever, Roberson was able to show his true value. While Russ scorched the Earth with his offense, Roberson was on the other side spurring the onslaught. Over and over again, Andre would defend the other team’s best player. Very well, I might add.

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On the offensive side Westbrook constantly involved Roberson, clearly a signal of confidence-boosting. Because of the level of defender he is, the Thunder lauded a top ten defense. That same reason gave Russell a lane to prosper on offense while relegating the bulk of the perimeter defending to Roberson. Demar DeRozan, Gordon Hayward, Paul George, James Harden — All-Stars that Roberson defended on an elite level.

Andre Roberson is very much a big part of this award.

Taj Gibson

Gibson is new to the team and may not be on the team come training camp, but he would be leaving a believer. Taj came to the team via trade at the deadline. He had been on the other side of the Westbrook Show. Running WITH Russ is vastly different than running TO STOP him. Gibson noted as much in his exit interview.

He was inserted into the starting lineup after coming off the bench for a short time and had an immediate impact. Taj gained a chemistry with Russ and it helped each other immensely. Whether he stays with the team is unknown, but at his next stop Taj will be telling tales of the MVP.

Enes Kanter

The bubbly, excited Kanter looked to be the proudest person in the room. No one has benefitted from being a teammate of Westbrook more than he has. Once a malcontent in Utah, Enes has become a sixth-man candidate and a bit of an NBA personality. His beautiful offense meshed with Westbrook’s buzzsaw impeccably from the very start.

There is an undeniable chemistry between these two players — it shows whenever those two are in the same space with each other. Much like everyone else, he looked to be moved by Westbrook’s speech. His face beamed with pride as Westbrook poured his heart out. It was finally a chance for people to see the Russ he knows and he couldn’t have been happier about that.

Victor Oladipo

The newest backcourt mate of Russell Westbrook. It wasn’t a monumental season for Oladipo. Struggling to find a fitting role along with injuries left his first season with the Thunder feeling a bit unfulfilled. There is a silver lining however; there is only up to go from here.

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His years in Orlando compared to what the Thunder needed from him this season was a case study in cognitive dissonance. What the Thunder needed was elite scoring and elite defense. What they got was useful and helped push OKC to 47 wins, but left much to be desired.

In the Playoffs – his first – Oladipo wasn’t there. That’s the past though. Oladipo represents a future for the Thunder. A new avenue of discovery. With the MVP at the helm, the future looks bright.

By winning the MVP Russell Westbrook has a new place in the league. He now has the stature that can elevate his teammates, something that he has said not to do. Those players in the locker room knew the leader that he was, Westbrook knew the type of players had in the locker room.

Together they showed the world the best of each other.