Russell Westbrook is aware that the 2016-17 NBA season will be entirely different with the Oklahoma City Thunder future heavily dependent on what he can do. He no longer shares the limelight and his winning attitude is seen as the key to the ballclub’s success.
Following a surprise decision to sign an extension, all eyes are no won what Westbrook will have to offer for the coming NBA wars. He can practically do anything he wants without worrying about sharing the limelight, something he needed to do when Kevin Durant was around.
It would be safe to say that Westbrook played second fiddle to Durant despite starring on occasion. In fact, the all-star guard had to deal with the heat, the most famous of which was his ball-hogging and shoot-first attitude.
All that changes starting now though the stakes have also been upped. The Thunder will make or break with Westbrook with critics now looking forward to the star guard’s ‘win at all cost’ attitude.
It may be a tough act for Westbrook but his win-first attitude is expected to do better than Durant’s philosophy. Durant’s quote after USA Basketball’s thrashing of Argentina drew a bit of criticism, particularly the part where he mentioned being at his best and not caring about the outcome, Yahoo Sports reported.
Unfortunately, the dish may not necessarily be applicable to most players. Giving out their best is one thing but at the end of the day, it is all about registering the W.
This is Westbrook’s philosophy, something he hates losing regardless if he is the star or playing backup to someone on any team. With Durant gone, it will be up to the 27-year-old guard to enforce that winning attitude and lead the Thunder to a new era of NBA ball.
This early, talk about Westbrook being the next MVP is already in the air. According to CBS Sports, he is in a good position to do so over Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors or even LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The MVP award is presumably secondary on Westbrook’s list. However, winning that prestigious award will be sweeter if he can improve on what Durant was unable to deliver – an NBA title.
Check out the video below of Westbrook’s past interviews, a potential sign he is ready to lead and become a better person and basketball player.