Weighing in on Skip Bayless’ assertion Russell Westbrook is more valuable than Lillard

Fox Sports personality Skip Bayless recently stated OKC Thunder star Russell Westbrook is more valuable than Damian Lillard. T.I. dives into the debate.

Skip Bayless, the Oklahoma native, is one of the most polarizing figureheads in the sports media landscape. Bayless is rivaled only be Colin Cowherd for that title, especially around these parts. OKC Thunder star Russell Westbrook is arguably the most polarizing player in the National Basketball Association, in fact, I would definitively say he is.

So what could go wrong when the most polarizing sports media member spouts off a hot take about the most polarizing NBA player of this generation? Well, for one, nothing.

Usually these Skip Bayless hot takes are incredibly ignorant, built and designed for clicks, listens, views, and blogger boys like me to rush to their MacBook Pro’s and frantically type up a long-form article going on a diatribe on why Bayless is an idiot and should no longer be employed and knows nothing about professional sports.

For once though, despite me frantically typing an article spun off a Bayless sound bite, it wasn’t a stupid opinion. It was not a reckless opinion or even one designed for clicks that you can tell the hot take artist himself does not even believe.

For once, Skip Bayless is…right?

Admittedly, crowning him as right on this topic is subjective, there is no right or wrong stance to have on his opinion, and in fact, you will see I agree with both sides. So let’s get into it.

Skip Bayless sat on the set of his show, Undisputed, which airs every morning on Fox Sports 1 with his co-host Shannon Sharpe, and said Russell Westbrook is more valuable than Damian Lillard.

Damian Lillard is a little more than a regular-season wonder. No playoff killer in him. He did outplay Westbrook in the first round. But he is not more valuable than Westbrook, who plays so much harder and is more respected by other players.

via @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/HEnZ36vi8k
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 20, 2019

The area of focus to me is valuable. There are so many different branches that sprout from the valuable tree, the tree of value if you will.

The truth is, they are both more valuable than the other. How? How does that work? This is sports media, the take business, you have to pick a side! How can they both be more valuable? Thanks to the tree of value.

On the court, from a basketball standpoint, there is a case to be made for both. Despite the recency bias of media members looking at this season and this years playoff series and deciding to crown Lillard, Westbrook still has on court value.

But, to be fair, and due to Westbrook’s contract and ineffectiveness, let’s give the nod to Lillard on the court as of this moment, not for their entire careers, just for the time being. When Lillard, who was just named to the All NBA second team, signs on the dotted line of his own Super Max deal, we will revisit the on court conversation. But, even the most die hard of Russell Westbrook supporters can concede the fact Lillard had a better year.

Russell Westbrook’s greater value, even in a down year in which he still managed to average a triple-double, is off the floor. This is not to take away from the player Westbrook is. I do think Bayless is right, Westbrook plays with more outward emotion (not necessarily cares more or plays harder because I think Lillard cares as much and plays his heart out), and is more feared (or respected) by some opponents due to garnering more respect over a longer period of time, but Westbrook’s off court value is miles ahead of Lillard.

Portland loves Damian Lillard, as they should, he is a great player and I am sure great in the community, as Russell Westbrook is for Oklahoma City.

But Westbrook is a transcendent talent. Westbrook’s reach goes far beyond the state of Oklahoma, it goes even beyond the United States. Westbrook is one of the most recognizable players in the NBA to casual fans and even non-fans.

From his fashion line and his own sense of style to the way he handles the media, and everything in between Russell Westbrook has not just put Oklahoma City on the map but himself also.

I am lucky enough to have to focus on Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder when covering the NBA. However, take a step back from the OKC Thunder bubble.

National Media outlets, members, stations, blogs, and podcasts, are more likely to dive into a Russell Westbrook topic with hated passion and debate than a Damian Lillard topic.

That creates more buzz for the media, thus allowing them to compile more clicks, and that lines their pocket with money. Russell Westbrook is extremely valuable for the Sports Media industry.

Westbrook is also valuable for the NBA. Again, his flashy pre-game wardrobe and media scrum headlines, mixed with whatever beef he gets himself into in between, is great for the NBA. It not only brings in eyeballs to TV ratings, social media interaction, but it also gets jersey sales, ad revenue, and ticket sales.

Fans desperately want to see Russell Westbrook when he travels to their city, especially during his MVP season. Whereas with Damian Lillard the reaction more often than not isn’t “I have to go see him!” it’s “oh cool, that means I get to watch Damian Lillard.” There is a difference there.