Westbrook deserves MVP

Westbrook+deserves+MVP

Kalen Harris, Sports Writer

Russell Westbrook is a 6’3, 187 pound star point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook is without a doubt the best player in the league this season statistically.

The MVP award is supposed to go to the league best player. After all MVP stands for MOST VALUABLE PLAYER.

When you raise conversation about Westbrook you have to consider three things, mental toughness, team efficiency, and personal stats.

Westbrook has been a part of some very good Thunder teams the past few years. In the ‘11-’12 season his team was stacked with James Harden, Serge Ibaka, and Kevin Durant. Harden left in the 13-14 season, Serg was traded to the Orlando Magic for Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova in 2016 and Kevin Durant chose to leave the Thunder for a better team in the Warriors. This leaves Westbrook to carry a team of below average and average players. To lead a team with little to no help can break an average player but Westbrook has shown that he is tougher than that.

The 16-17 Thunder team is a fairly average team. There are only 4 players averaging double digits in points. Westbrook is averaging a league leading 31.6 points. Everyone else is averaging 15 points and under. It’s hard to win games when there is only one person generating more than 20 points in today’s league. The fact that the team is still managing a winning record proves Westbrook’s value for the Thunder.

Aside from the mental aspect and team efforts, Westbrook has done an outstanding job on the court this season. He has the number one PPG avg with 31.6 points, is number three in the league with 10.4 assists per game and is 10th in the league in RPG with 10.7 rebounds a game. Looking at his states you can see that Russell clearly averages a triple double. Which no other player has pulled off this season. He also broke the NBA season triple doubles record with 42 total which is amazing because this record was set in the ‘61-’62 season by Oscar Robertson.

The only argument that people have against Westbrook is that his team isn’t winning enough for him to be MVP. Just because his team can’t produce more doesn’t mean he hasn’t given his complete all, so that argument is invalid. Westbrook averages a triple double , broke a record for triple doubles in a season , managed to keep a level head after being left by Durant and has a winning record with a team full of average or below average players around him.

James Harden, who is everyone’s runner up has had a great season statistically himself. Westbrook has still outshone him in that department. Harden only averages a double double with 29.2 ppg and 11.2 assists per game compared to russell’s triple double.

Harden also has a fairly stout team. With guards like patrick Beverly, Eric Gordon, Lou Williams and big men such as Clint Capela and Nene who all have had above average careers thus far , james doesn’t have to carry such a large load like Westbrook.

Without a doubt Russell Westbrook has proven to be the Most Valuable Player in the league and no one can devalue his worth to the Thunder.