Will people perception of Westbrook ever change as far as being selfish????

[Bergmaniac]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I think calling Westbrook is selfish is dumb. I think a selfish player plays for himself and not the team. Scott Brooks says all the time that Westbrook wants to win more than anyone. Westbrook always say that his job as a point guard isn't to pass, it isn't to score, it to do whatever it takes for the team to win.

I think Westbrook's problem can be that Kobe problem where he just thinks he's the best option down the floor every time. Its not that he's selfish, he's just overconfident

This.

I never get the sense Westbrook wants to "get his" at the expense of the team, he wants to win every single game way too much for that. But he overrates his scoring abilities sometimes or gets too carried away trying to do everything by himself on offence when the team falls behind, mostly when KD is out. I have noticed that when the Thunder play an easy game at home and the team is leading by 15-20 points in the third, for example, he is more likely to look for a pass and get the role players to inflate their scoring stats or let the others handle the ball. But if the team is behind in a tough game, he sometimes tries to do too much, especially if his teammates are struggling early.

[JesusHCoxMd]

He's selfish in not really a bad way, he's more like destroy his match-up oriented. So he needs his touches, I like his competitive fire and personality, not a Thunder fan here.

[RoyalWun]

I don't know about anyone else but I never believed high assists = unselfish.

[MoneyTalks41890]

I don't know about anyone else but I never believed high assists = unselfish.

So then what does?

[TONY_YAYO]

WOW

[ewingfung]

HE IS SELFISH! but its good to be selfish! because he is that good. Unlike other players who is selfish and sucks most of the nights. (waiter...)

[Adelheid]

He can be selfish because he can pretty much dominate most PGs in the league; that is essentially "taking advantage off mismatches" but just taken to a new level.

[hype_2004]

Russell westbrook is bigger better rebounding version of Allen Iverson, Does a better rebounding version of AI win you games and take you to the promise land? possibly, Can Westbrook lead you to win a championship with his chucking? hell naw!

[lakersin4]

First off let me start off by saying I know people will disagree with my post because this is RealGM, & on RealGM whoever is putting up the best numbers right now is the best player in the league.

Now to the facts. Westbrook will always be looked at as being selfish because he has the best, or at worst 2nd best player in the league on his team. Westbrook has had an excuse to be a chucker this season since Durant hasn't been healthy, but in the past there was absolutely no excuse for it. & think about this. Even this season, the best of Westbrook's career where he's taken the most FGA & has the green light with Durant injured or not 100%, he's scored 5 less PPG than Durant did last season, while taking 1 more FGA per game than Durant did last season. He's scoring 1 less PPG than Durant did while taking 4 more FGA per game than Durant did the previous season. He's not the best player or scoring option on his team & he shouldn't be shooting like he's the best player on his team, ever. Especially in the clutch where he's cost OKC countless games over the years by trying to take over when he needed to be deferring to the better player.

Yes, Westbrook averages a good amount of assists too. But Iverson averaged over 7 assists per game for most of his biggest chucking years. If Westbrook & Durant ever have a season where they're both 100% healthy & not playing through any major injuries, & Westbrook decides to defer to Durant during that season, focusing all of that intensity he has on the defensive end instead, I honestly think they'd win their first ring regardless of who they played.

[NO-KG-AI]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I think calling Westbrook is selfish is dumb. I think a selfish player plays for himself and not the team. Scott Brooks says all the time that Westbrook wants to win more than anyone. Westbrook always say that his job as a point guard isn't to pass, it isn't to score, it to do whatever it takes for the team to win.

I think Westbrook's problem can be that Kobe problem where he just thinks he's the best option down the floor every time. Its not that he's selfish, he's just overconfident

This.

I never get the sense Westbrook wants to "get his" at the expense of the team, he wants to win every single game way too much for that. But he overrates his scoring abilities sometimes or gets too carried away trying to do everything by himself on offence when the team falls behind, mostly when KD is out. I have noticed that when the Thunder play an easy game at home and the team is leading by 15-20 points in the third, for example, he is more likely to look for a pass and get the role players to inflate their scoring stats or let the others handle the ball. Most But if the team is behind in a tough game, he sometimes tries to do too much, especially if the his teammates are struggling early.

Agree with both of these, saw AI the same way.

[Bergmaniac]

He's not the best player or scoring option on his team & he shouldn't be shooting like he's the best player on his team, ever. Especially in the clutch where he's cost OKC countless games over the years by trying to take over when he needed to be deferring to the better player.

That is not true at all. When Durant plays, the plan is always to get him the ball at all costs if possible and vast majority of the time Westbrook sticks to it and only goes for a shot himself if Durant can't get open to receive the ball.

[fast-break]

Name 3 guys past or present better than Westbrook right now? I can't do it!

[The Infamous1]

Did the perception of kobe being selfish go away?

[crazy_me_87]

Name 3 guys past or present better than Westbrook right now? I can't do it!

Are you kidding me?
thats quite a bit overreacting to a 46 Game sample size.

I'd even take last year Durant 32/7/5 on amazing % over him. Durant was winning at a higher clip without WB than WB is without KD right now too.

I love his rebounding and passing. But so many FG attemps while shootung way under 45% is plain and simple chucking. and bad shot selection.

He deserves some mentioning in the MVP race recently.. i'll give him that. but people here claiming after 46 Games hes the best player in the World.. or even the best player on his own Team(when all are healthy) need to stop.

Its just 46 Games. on bad shooting.

i get it he is "sexy" but i cant forget his percentages. I just cant.

[fast-break]

Name 3 guys past or present better than Westbrook right now? I can't do it!

Are you kidding me?
thats quite a bit overreacting to a 46 Game sample size.

I'd even take last year Durant 32/7/5 on amazing % over him. Durant was winning at a higher clip without WB than WB is without KD right now too.

I love his rebounding and passing. But so many FG attemps while shootung way under 45% is plain and simple chucking. and bad shot selection.

He deserves some mentioning in the MVP race recently.. i'll give him that. but people here claiming after 46 Games hes the best player in the World.. or even the best player on his own Team(when all are healthy) need to stop.

Its just 46 Games. on bad shooting.

i get it he is "sexy" but i cant forget his percentages. I just cant.

lol yes, I was.

he's still a beast tho.

[crazy_me_87]

Name 3 guys past or present better than Westbrook right now? I can't do it!

Are you kidding me?
thats quite a bit overreacting to a 46 Game sample size.

I'd even take last year Durant 32/7/5 on amazing % over him. Durant was winning at a higher clip without WB than WB is without KD right now too.

I love his rebounding and passing. But so many FG attemps while shootung way under 45% is plain and simple chucking. and bad shot selection.

He deserves some mentioning in the MVP race recently.. i'll give him that. but people here claiming after 46 Games hes the best player in the World.. or even the best player on his own Team(when all are healthy) need to stop.

Its just 46 Games. on bad shooting.

i get it he is "sexy" but i cant forget his percentages. I just cant.

lol yes, I was.

he's still a beast tho.

good i thought people where going totally nuts right now ^^

agreed on the beast part.. but still i think many here have started to overreact way too quickly. He has an amazing season. but still its only one season.. and he still cant shoot effectivly or does know anything about shot selection. Hes great! but not without flaws

[thunderup_0_35]

First off let me start off by saying I know people will disagree with my post because this is RealGM, & on RealGM whoever is putting up the best numbers right now is the best player in the league.

Now to the facts. Westbrook will always be looked at as being selfish because he has the best, or at worst 2nd best player in the league on his team. Westbrook has had an excuse to be a chucker this season since Durant hasn't been healthy, but in the past there was absolutely no excuse for it. & think about this. Even this season, the best of Westbrook's career where he's taken the most FGA & has the green light with Durant injured or not 100%, he's scored 5 less PPG than Durant did last season, while taking 1 more FGA per game than Durant did last season. He's scoring 1 less PPG than Durant did while taking 4 more FGA per game than Durant did the previous season. He's not the best player or scoring option on his team & he shouldn't be shooting like he's the best player on his team, ever. Especially in the clutch where he's cost OKC countless games over the years by trying to take over when he needed to be deferring to the better player.

Yes, Westbrook averages a good amount of assists too. But Iverson averaged over 7 assists per game for most of his biggest chucking years. If Westbrook & Durant ever have a season where they're both 100% healthy & not playing through any major injuries, & Westbrook decides to defer to Durant during that season, focusing all of that intensity he has on the defensive end instead, I honestly think they'd win their first ring regardless of who they played.

Damn, I don't know where to start with you. I'm just gonna say you have no idea what your talking about.

[Rebel INS]

I don't know about anyone else but I never believed high assists = unselfish.

I never believed high shot attempts = selfish

At least not in the sense that it means a player is necessarily looking to "get theirs" at the expense of their teammates, in some sort of pissing contest attempt to establish dominance and their place in the pecking order.

Considering the fact it's looking pretty clear that he'd be putting up elite raw stats and be a perennial mvp candidate if he demanded a trade to a team where he'd be the uncontested 'alpha', it's hard to convince me Westbrook is that type of player after his demonstrated commitment to wanting to win in OKC, regardless of what people think of his shot selection....

which as a separate discussion is more a product of his ROLE and what he's been asked to do for that team... unless people really think his coaches and KD are saying "we need you to do more off ball" and his response this whole time has consistently been "nah **** that, ima do me"