Since leaving the Washington Wizards in 2021, Russell Westbrook’s career has been on a downward spiral. His tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers was an unmitigated disaster. And while his time with the Clippers was a slight improvement, Westbrook struggled to showcase the talents that made him an MVP in 2017 and a multi-time MVP candidate during his prime.
Westbrook inked a deal to join the Denver Nuggets during the summer. Mike Malone’s team had been desperate for a reliable ball-handler who can lead the second unit and step into the starting lineup when Jamal Murray is injured. Westbrook has handled both roles with ease and has quickly emerged as one of the most important members of Denver’s rotation.
“I told him that I wanted him to challenge himself to be the best version of himself,” Malone said, per The Athletic’s Tony Jones. “No offense to any of his past coaches, but if you put Russell Westbrook in the corner, you’re not getting the whole package. We’ve made an effort to get the ball into his hands quite a bit this season …You have to give Russell a lot of credit. He came in here trying to fit in and not stand out.”
Malone has empowered Westbrook to be the chaos-creator he thrives on being. From grabbing rebounds and bolting in transition to bulldozing his way into a defense before kicking the rock out to a waiting shooter, we’re seeing the closest thing to prime Westbrook in years.
As such, Westbrook’s reputation is slowly being rebuilt. NBA fans are starting to remember why he was among the best players in the world for a long stretch of time. Furthermore, the criticism and condemnation Westbrook has shouldered in recent years has all but faded away.
Not only did the Nuggets take a chance on Westbrook, but they’ve also given him a chance to shine. Odds are he will leave everything on the table for that franchise. And if the opportunity arises, he will remain with the team for the foreseeable future.
Westbrook is back to his swashbuckling best, and that’s good news for the Nuggets and the NBA in general.
