OKC Thunder in the news: Russell Westbrook history meets controversy

The spotlight is hot this week. Some found a way to bloom through the heat, while others boiled over with hist0ry, potential construction and a journalistic conundrum at the center of discussion.

Russell Westbrook crashed headlines with another historical outing as OKC Thunder drowned the Lakers. Unless you’re living under a rock or forgot to pay your electric bill this month, you already know about the sensational night in the ‘Peake.

It started out with an unusual first quarter. Westbrook had no points in the first twelve minutes of gameplay, BUT had climbed to double-digit assists. It was clear Russ was making a statement and that statement was solidified within the last 60 seconds of the game.

Just two rebounds shy of breaking yet another NBA record, Westbrook waved off his substitution and locked in for the final seconds. Russ usually carries the weight of his team on his shoulders, but this time he had a weight on his heart.

Off a missed free throw by Steven Adams, Russ clinched his 19th rebound. On the following defensive possession, Russ floated under the basket to sky for his 20th rebound of the game, notching a 20 point, 20 rebound, 21 assist performance.

Russell Westbrook dropped only the second double triple-double stat line in NBA history. Afterward, he dedicated his night to remember to an icon to remember, Nipsey Hussle.

"On the surface, it appeared Russ simply put on an ageless performance. However, Russ’ night possessed much more meaning. Over the weekend influential Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle was killed outside his LA area clothing store."

OKC Thunder fans are used to feeling a whirlwind of emotions during games, but this one was different. This time, the game was bigger than basketball. I hope that fans take these moments and continue to remind themselves that players are people and not just employees or entertainers.

To relive the night and all its social, statistical, and historical derivatives check out TI’s account written by Alex Mcewen as she delves into the different aspects on and off the court.

The gray areas of journalism:

Prior to the start of the game, there was slight drama clouding the Twittersphere of Westbrook fans.

Erik Horne, a reporter for NewsOK.com covering OKC Thunder, began to ask Russell about the depth of his relationship with Nipsey. After Russ declined to say he’d rather not talk about his passing, Horne clarified that he was going to ask about Nipsey Hussle. Following this, Russ reiterated he did not want to talk about the situation and walked away from the press conference.

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The questioning caught huge amounts of criticism due to Horne’s second statement making it seem like he was pressing Russ for an answer. Though this is up for debate, the more important question I would like to ask is whether the first statement should have even happened.

There’s always a gray area regarding ethical decisions. When is the right time, if at all, to ask personal questions to a professional athlete? In my opinion, the right time is definitely not before a game. But this is also up for debate. These athletes choose to put themselves in the spotlight, often making their private life public, so where are the boundaries?

Another reporter for NewsOK.com had already been thrust into the hot seat for his interactions with Russ at a previous press conference. So it could be said that questioning Russ was already a sensitive subject in the public’s eye. Does that mean Horne should have had a better understanding of not only the situation but also his subject? Maybe, maybe not.

In his own opinion, Horne wasn’t in the wrong at all. He posted a lengthy thread to his twitter explaining his perspective of the situation (after being criticized for blasting Russ’ historical night by shadowing it with emasculation allegations).

His last statement shown above is what ignited my interest in the situation. As a journalist, getting the perfect quote for your article is a necessary part of the job. But, what I would like to say before this drama can hopefully be put to bed, is that another necessary part of the job is knowing your subject.

As a reporter for an NBA franchise, you’ll meet a variety of characters and personalities. Because of this, you have to have a sharpened intuition to know what to ask and how to ask it to get the answers you desire. And honestly, in the instance we are examining, said reporters have had plenty of time to know their subject.

Construction at the Chesapeake:

Wednesday, April 3, local news channel KFOR.com broke the news about a new feature planned for the Chesapeake Arena to enhance OKC Thunder game days.

"The proposed development plan envisions an indoor and outdoor restaurant experience, a new location for Thunder Alley – which will also be used for Thunder special events including their annual summer basketball camps – and a new plaza at the intersection of Oklahoma City Boulevard and Thunder Drive designed to be an extension to the existing Southwest entry to Chesapeake Arena."

Kaylee Douglas outlined the plans for the area and expected dates of construction. In theory, Thunder Alley is expected to be a new eating area equipped with food trucks as well as the prime area for photos.

Other features of the new addition include larger parking areas to entice more potential concerts at the Chesapeake Arena

According to Douglas, thankfully the construction isn’t set to begin for another two years with the Grand Opening planned for April 15, 2021.

I don’t know about you, but I am always down for another area to Thunder Up!