By most accounts, I should have loved Russell Westbrook from the get-go. The aspect I value most in a basketball player is his heart, and RW's heart is probably half of his body weight. But his basketball IQ left much to be desired, especially coming from the point guard position.
Russ entered the league with unmatched brashness, which I typically adore, but unfortunately, that personality was shackled with poor shot selection and headshakingly-ridiculous decision-making which came at the severe detriment to the rest of his squad. He was, and perhaps still is, the personification of a double-edged sword, as you can fall in love with him and want to kill him all within a 5-second span.
The Oklahoma City Thunder never had a chance against the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals. We all knew it, especially with Scotty Brooks flailing as the head coach, but more glaring to me was the fact that Russell Westbrook wasn't ready, nor did I ever think he would be. He was built for war, but he wasn't a leader of men. Instead, he easily fell into the petulant youngest child role -- throwing mini tantrums accentuated by dumb fouls, never playing completely under control, and carrying around a gigantic chip on his shoulder for no apparent reason.
But sometime this past season, someone pulled a switch, and something clicked. Russell is among a handful of people in the world who can not only play basketball when he's angry, but now he is actually better when he's angry. And just like the Hulk, Russell Westbrook is always angry.
Watching Westbrook hoop now is a reenactment of that scene on a never-ending loop. He has learned to control his fury and channel it against his opponents. He still relies a bit too much on his athleticism at times, but that is a luxury that few can enjoy. He's nowhere near a traditional point guard, but he is morphing into the dynamic hybrid guard that his team needs him to be.
I can't believe I'm saying it, but Russell Westbrook is about to make the impossible jump from my hated list to my top 10. I said four years ago that RW would never win a ship, but he is clearly not the same player he was four years ago. He has been an exemplary case study on the evidence of maturity and a reminder to all of us of one of the most beautiful qualities of human nature: the ability to change.
Some of you may not understand the significance of this development, but ball is life.
