Russell Westbrook exit interview: relationships, chemistry take center stage

Russell Westbrook was nursing wounds and already deep in thought on improving the OKC Thunder next season when he spoke at his exit interview.

Being the alpha male on a team carries weight with it. When Russell Westbrook does things like he did in Game 5 he leaves people simply scratching their heads, jaws agape. I recall when the team was trailing by more than 20 points and some were ready to call it a night. In fairness it was a late game and they had to get up in the morning.

My response was to tell my friends how can you sleep with Russell Westbrook on the court? He could single handedly bring them back. The next morning my phone blew up with ‘come on – you have to be kidding’. I simply grinned and said when it’s Westbrook – there is always a chance.

Being a Westbrook fan isn’t always an easy position to occupy. I’m not telling Thunder Nation anything new. We all know he’ll be cited for being a ball hog, stat stuffer and a player no other star can play with. But, the secret we know is there is simply no other player like him. Point me to one “superstar” in the NBA who plays full out every game. Not a reserve, a superstar. Even the former would be difficult for anyone to cite.

I guess the closest might be Jimmy Butler, but he’s had so many injuries to deal with fans often forget that fact. This in itself points to the truly unique nature of Westbrook. The Brodie simply knows no way to play but at 100 percent.

Being Beastbrook:

And, while many jumped on him negatively for taking over Game 5 and 6, please spare me, because no other OKC Thunder was delivering. Westbrook almost won back to back games for his team and aside from LeBron James the list of players who can do that ends with these two.

Still, Russell Westbrook knows the territory he occupies and is well aware of the critics. Go find me one coach outside OKC who wouldn’t jump at the chance to have him on their team. Granted, imagining Russ playing for Pops makes me giggle, but still the coaching savant would jump at that opportunity.

And so, as Russ took to the podium he was still nursing the wounds of doing something he hates to do — lose. The end of the season was still too fresh in his mind and he seemingly was carrying the weight of the loss all on his own shoulders. This isn’t surprising because for as much as he has his critics it seems no one could ever expect as much as Russell expects from himself.

Consistency:

If there was a common word utilized by coaching, management and players alike it was consistency. Russell Westbrook’s very first comment centered on the need for the team to be more consistent next season. He feels retaining the core will help in that regard.

Missing Andre

Calls Andre one of his favorite players. Westbrook spoke to how so many people were hard on Dre’s shooting woes. Russ says what Dre offers is so much more than what is shown on the page. He speaks to Dre laying it on the line in every game and how he (Westbrook) never takes anything Dre does for granted because of the massive impact it has on the squad. Clearly, Andre Roberson is in the inner Westbrook circle.

Brotherhood of OK3:

Russell Westbrook has often been cited as running in a very tight close knit group. The implication was he wasn’t as open to adding people into this inner circle. Westbrook spoke of the brotherhood as a key factor this season and the teams growth because of it. One gets the impression this was something he personally wanted to improve in terms of his leadership. Clearly he recognized the benefits of relationship building as it kept coming up.

Westbrook credited Carmelo Anthony for bringing out his mellow side. He added he (Anthony) makes sure I keep it cool and remain focused on what’s important for the team. In addition, he seemed to credit Melo for helping him grow as a leader.

Offseason Improvements:

Always tries to upt his game in perspective to see what he can improve. Westbrook says he puts pressure on himself every summer to improve in all aspects of the game. The Brodie believes he can grow in every area of the game with hard work. He also says he does focus on improving one key area whether it’s leadership or something else.

Paul George’s Free Agency:

On two separate occasions Russell Westbrook is asked about bringing back the team. The second time specifically with regard to Paul George.

Westbrook laughs when it’s suggested he was included in the Kevin Durant free agency and corrects the pundit saying he was NOT involved. As for George he walks a fine line of saying the friendship is most important, but the overtones are clear that Westbrook wants to keep building what they have.

Also notable, is Westbrook said it’s his job to assist the players by helping them do what’s right for them and their families. The implication being, he’ll do his best to make the situation attractive to return, but will ultimately respect their decision.

Westbrook continued to stress the friendship and bond between the stars having precedent. However, he did state Paul has said “he wants to be here” which was a fairly definitive point for Westbrook to make, especially if there is any uncertainty.

Fatherhood:

Asked about his first year being a Dad, he called it the best thing that has ever happened in his life. Although he hates not playing he says he now will have the opportunity to spend time making up for it and cherishes every moment he gets with Noah.

Steven Adams:

He laughs as he cites Adams as one of the most feared big men in the league partially because of how he looks. But, he’s quick to cite Adams strong work ethic and how much he’s improved.

Jerami Grant:

This is a close relationship which you can tell Russell cherishes. He speaks of how proud he is of Jerami’s growth and how excited he is about Grant’s future.

Summer Workouts:

One pundit cheekily asked if he’ll lock Paul George in a gym to work out or other players like he has in the past. To this Westbrook said he’ll definitely spend time with George, Anthony, Jerami, Steven whoever as he looks for opportunities for the team to gain chemistry and get a head start on next season. He also looks forward to the mini Olympic camps which will occur this offseason.

Ultimately, it’s clear Russell Westbrook was very unhappy OKC didn’t advance, is keen to keep the crew together and he will undoubtedly spend his summer improving. Yet, if there was one common thread which ran through his responses it would be the word relationship. Whether it was with Paul George, other teammates or as a father this was where Russell Westbrook appears to be focused.

Perhaps this is simply due to the natural maturation he’s undergone on the team and becoming a father. But, it feels deeper than that. Russell Westbrook is driven to win and based on this exit interview (more than years past) it certainly feels like he recognizes being the champion of building that special team chemistry is his new goal.