Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
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- RealGM
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
Westbrook is a pretty typical player who is loved so much one day he becomes overrated, and hated so much another he becomes underrated.
Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
- Harry Palmer
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
How did you know I was pretending? Is there a spy cam in here somewhere? But anyways, you are too late, I have gotten away with my crime AND all the profits it yielded.
Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
- NO-KG-AI
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
JimmyFromNz wrote:I can't recall many instances of him being a poor leader, in fact during in his prime he's a perfect example of a 'follow me' leadership style that translates.
By all accounts his teammates admire that too.
Other characteristics are open for a bit more critique. He's commonly abrasive, combative and lacks self awareness (e.g. many NBA players). That is probably where people incorrectly conflate this with the teammate relationship.
He doesn’t want to play hard on defense, and he gets pissy with teammates that grab his rebounds or pass and cost him an assist. He doesn’t work hard off the ball at all.
He’s a case of: I’ll work super hard with my dribble. Y’all work hard on all the non glamorous stuff.
He was still a heavy impact player in his prime, and he didn’t throw his teammates under the bus or call them out in public. He’s not a bad dude, but his “high energy” is very selective.
Doctor MJ wrote:I don't understand why people jump in a thread and say basically, "This thing you're all talking about. I'm too ignorant to know anything about it. Lollerskates!"
Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
- Dr Positivity
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
He is a fine enough teammate, although not Curry/Jokic or anything. The Thunder felt like they had Westbrook's style of play instead of Durant to me. This falls on Westbrook for not realizing he's the 2nd best player on his team.
Liberate The Zoomers
Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
Dr Positivity wrote:He is a fine enough teammate, although not Curry/Jokic or anything. The Thunder felt like they had Westbrook's style of play instead of Durant to me. This falls on Westbrook for not realizing he's the 2nd best player on his team.
Uh no. That falls on Durant not playing like the best player on the team
Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
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Re: Can we stop pretending Westbrook wasn't a good teammate/leader?
Dr Positivity wrote:He is a fine enough teammate, although not Curry/Jokic or anything. The Thunder felt like they had Westbrook's style of play instead of Durant to me. This falls on Westbrook for not realizing he's the 2nd best player on his team.
How is that Westbrooks fault? His style of play is what made him great--and had he changed he would have never been as good as he was.
Durant could have done more--on and off the court--but my understanding is Durant wanted Westbrook to be Westbrook. Durant shows up more in 2016 and they could have been champions and/or he resigns and they have a good chance of winning in 2017/2018.