Image via Complex Original
Many know him as the brawnier version of Robin to Kevin Durant’s Batman, but Russell Westbrook has proven that he’s more than capable of playing the starring role. Complications from an offseason foot injury have pushed Durant to the sideline this season, giving Westbrook a blank canvas to paint on. The results look decidedly spastic and modern in the face of KD’s classicism; Westbrook sheds through NBA defenses with brute force rather than deft touch. He’s taken advantage of the opportunity in the most Westbrook way possible, carving opposing teams to shreds through sheer force of will.
In honor of his swashbuckling style, here’s a collection of some of Russ’s most memorable theatrics.
The Spin Move
Opponent: Golden State Warriors
Date: 2/7/2012
Spin moves are a fan favorite for their audaciousness, but many players shy away from them out of fear. Disorientation of your court vision can hurt you while attacking the rim, whether it means losing sight of your shooters or barreling into an opposing big man. Not for Westbrook. He spins so quickly and so violently that opposing defenses are left standing in quicksand. They hardly have time to react before he has executed a full 360, creating separation between himself and whatever poor soul is responsible for guarding him. That he has the strength to power through defenders after the rotation is almost unfair.
The Tomahawk
Opponent: Eastern Conference All-Stars
Date: 2/26/2012
Guards aren’t supposed to be power dunkers—that privilege is traditionally reserved for big-bodied forwards like Dominique Wilkins and LeBron James. Somebody forgot to alert Westbrook on the matter. He throws down every dunk like the rim is his mortal enemy. The tomahawk is a privilege to watch when he unleashes it, but it is also one of the scariest feats executed on a regular basis. When he cocks the ball back and cuts through the air, he flies so recklessly that I worry for the safety of Westbrook and everyone around him. Look at his legs as he attempts the landing—there was no plan except for annihilation.
The Crossover
Opponent: Minnesota Timberwolves
Date: 12/26/2011
The effectiveness of Westbrook’s ball-handling stems from—what else?—his other-worldly athleticism. A central tenet of guarding him is in trying to prevent getting burned by his speed. Save for the few super humans who can keep him in front of them, most players sag off of him and hope to prevent an easy look. His counter is a swift change of pace, setting his foes up with shoulder leans before shifting back to his other hand. Not everyone goes down like they’ve been picked off by a sniper, as Luke Ridnour does above, but it’s his way of keeping opponents honest. I’d say that it looks pretty effective.
Off-Ball Cuts
Opponent: Sacramento Kings
Date: 12/16/2014
He may be known as a ball-dominant player, but when you’re paired with one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, learning how to play off-the-ball is essential. If there’s a word to describe Westbrook’s overall play it’s relentless, and his action off-the-ball is a crystal clear example of that. The same speed that makes him a tough cover on-the-ball is evident off it, used as a weapon against defenders who think they’re getting a brief moment of rest. Turn your head for a brief instance and he’s gone, and punctuating it with head-at-the-rim slams makes the movement just a little bit cooler.
Splitting Defenders
Opponent: San Antonio Spurs
Date: 12/25/2014
Westbrook has always played a high-variance style, defeating opponents most often through volume. He lives on a razor’s edge, turnovers inches away from highlights and vice versa. Splitting two defenders in pick-and-rolls is part of that ethos; he is often close to having the rock swatted away, but is quick and skilled enough to take two opponents out of the play, leading to high-value shots or easy dishes to teammates. Opposing teammates need to minimize the gap between each other, or he’s barreling through to the lane.
The Tip-Slam
Opponent: Milwaukee Bucks
Date: 12/9/2014
Who does this guy think he is, performing yet another dunk usually reserved for bigger men? Tip slams are one of the most exciting plays in basketball generally, so watching a guard ride the elevator to dunk a mid-air rebound is legitimately awe-inspiring. This is just not nice, Russell.
One-Man Transition
Opponent: Portland Trail Blazers
Date: 10/29/2014
Need a basket with almost no time on the clock and the ball on your side of the court? That’s usually a problem, but the formula changes when you can get down the court as quickly as Westbrook does. He looks like a deep-threat receiver hauling in a pass, combining that with the stockiness of a running back and the cojones to dunk with time running down. Everything about this screams, “Screw you, I’m scoring anyway.”
The Reverse Flush
Opponent: Orlando Magic
Date: 1/18/2015
Most of Westbrook’s work is primal in nature, so when he does something that looks legitimately smooth it’s hard not to notice. This finish in particular stands out—watch as he goes up for the slam, gliding toward the backside of the rim, looking like part of a high-wire act. It may sound blasphemous, but the way he suspends in mid-air on this play is positively Jordan-esque, recalling memories of Chicago’s legendary No. 23.
The Three-Point Barrage
Opponent: Eastern Conference All-Stars
Date: 2/15/2015
Efficiency is not the hallmark of Westbrook’s shooting from deep, but when he gets going he can light it up with the best of them from beyond the arc. Even in an All-Star Game that featured 50-50-90 candidate Kyle Korver, Westbrook had the most memorable shooting stretch of the evening. Let that boy cook!
The Poster
Opponent: Detroit Pistons
Date: 12/7/2014
Josh Smith was having a rough enough go in Detroit as it was, and their eventual parting of ways solved a lot of problems for both Smith and the Pistons franchise. Technically, Smith’s buyout marked the end of his tenure in Detroit, but I’m fairly sure that Westbrook murdered his Pistons career in cold blood with this hellacious throw-down. You can almost hear Smith’s inner regret as he swipes for the ball, that moment of “OH SHI—” that basketball players of all levels have experienced at least once. Westbrook kicks his leg in the air in celebration afterward, a fitting representation of the mid-section blow he delivered to Smith moments earlier.