"One of the greatest point guards": Kendrick Perkins responds to Russell Westbrook mixtape with lavish praise for 9x NBA All-Star
Russell Westbrook will be playing for his fifth team in the NBA since 2019 next season. After almost two seasons with the LA Clippers, he was sent to the Utah Jazz early this month. The former MVP, now an unrestricted free agent after agreeing to a buyout with the Jazz, is expected to sign with the Denver Nuggets.
Since leaving the OKC Thunder, Westbrook hasn’t been the franchise cornerstone he once was. Some even thought that he’d be out of the NBA soon after his disastrous stint with the LA Lakers. “Brodie” changed that narrative with a solid showing with the LA Clippers.
As if to remind fans of what Russell Westbrook used to be, a basketball fan on X/Twitter, posted highlights of the former OKC Thunder superstar. Kendrick Perkins, one of Westbrook’s former teammates in Oklahoma, reacted to the viral clip:
“One of the Greatest Point Guards to ever lace them up,” Perkins said on X.
Despite being a poor shooter, Westbrook led the NBA twice in scoring. He averaged 31.6 points per game when he won his only MVP during the 2016-17 season. It wasn’t just scoring that the point guard excelled in. He averaged a triple-double in four seasons, including three straight.
Russell Westbrook’s best season year had to be the season he won the Michael Jordan Trophy. Besides leading the league in scoring, he also averaged 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals. He also shot 34.3% from deep, the most efficient in his career.
Westbrook will be 36 years old in November this year and is no longer the player he once was. Perkins, though, remembers what “Brodie” used to do on the court. That's why the 2008 NBA champ with the Boston Celtics called his former teammate one of the greatest “to ever lace them up.”
Russell Westbrook could play a crucial role for the Denver Nuggets
Russell Westbrook is likely headed to Denver to play alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. “The Joker” reportedly pushed the Nuggets to acquire the former MVP. NBA Insider Harrison Wind had this to say about the Mile High City team’s interest in the triple-double king:
“Nikola Jokic has pushed behind the scenes for the Nuggets to get Russell Westbrook. This isn’t the first time he’s wanted to play with him in Denver, either. Westbrook would give Michael Malone a trusted, veteran ball handler, which is something the Nuggets need right now.”
The Nuggets refused to re-sign Reggie Jackson, making Jamal Murray and the untested Jalen Pickett the point guards left. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was also let go, so Denver’s depth has been compromised.
Russell Westbrook, if he signs with the Nuggets, will be the bench mob’s leader. He can also play with Jokic when Murray sits for a breather. “Brodie” isn’t the superstar he once was, but he can play a key role for the 2023 NBA champs.