Danny Green believes Russell Westbrook’s historic production puts him firmly among the 10 greatest point guards in NBA history.
Discussing where Westbrook ranks all time, Green emphasized that the former MVP’s statistical achievements alone make his case difficult to dismiss.
“Even if you don’t respect his body of work, he’s got to be in your top 10, even if you don’t like him. Just because of what he’s done. We never thought we see anybody else average a triple double again. He made it look easy,” Green said.
Westbrook’s career numbers provide substantial support for Green’s argument. Across 18 NBA seasons, he played 1,301 regular-season games and averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 8.0 assists while recording 209 triple-doubles, the most in NBA history.
His 10,351 career assists rank fifth all time, while his 27,176 points are 14th in NBA history. He also finished his career with 9,025 rebounds and 2,038 steals, illustrating the all-around statistical impact that defined his prime.
The triple-double record is arguably the centerpiece of Westbrook’s statistical legacy. He became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire season when he did so in 2016-17, averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists for Oklahoma City.
Westbrook subsequently averaged a triple-double in three more seasons. He finished the 2017-18 campaign with 25.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 10.3 assists before posting 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 2018-19.
His 2016-17 season also produced his only MVP award. Westbrook was an All-Star and All-NBA First Team selection that year after leading the league in scoring and becoming the first player in decades to average a triple-double.
The nine-time All-Star earned nine All-NBA selections during his career, including four First Team selections. He also reached the NBA Finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Westbrook’s playoff résumé was similarly productive statistically, although it did not result in an NBA championship. In 135 postseason games, he averaged 22.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists, along with 1.7 steals.
His best postseason scoring season came in 2016-17, when he averaged 37.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 10.8 assists in five games against Houston. Westbrook also averaged a triple-double during the 2017 playoffs.
Westbrook retired on August 12, ending an 18-year career that included stops with the Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets and Kings.
He finished his final NBA season with Sacramento averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 64 games. The Kings finished 22-60, 14th in the Western Conference, and Westbrook ultimately chose retirement after Sacramento explored bringing him back in a reduced role.
