Russell Westbrook is Certainly a Top 5 PG in NBA History According to Norris Cole

“Magic, Steph, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, last one is tough. It’s so many. I probably have to say Russ,” said Cole. “I wanna say J-Kidd, but you cannot deny what Russ has done.”

“Russ is like, he got 23,000+ career points, 5,000 assists, and 5,000 rebounds…like, he averaged a triple-double bro, which hasn’t been done in 50 years. I had to throw him in there,” he added.

While some may question the addition of Russell Westbrook to Norris Cole’s list, it’s hard to deny his impact on the game. Besides being able to average a triple-double at his peak, Russell Westbrook is also known for his jaw-dropping athleticism and ferocity on the court.

Russell Westbrook’s resume speaks for itself

It wasn’t until the 2016-17 campaign that Russell Westbrook emerged as a bona fide franchise star, as he put the Oklahoma City Thunder on his back when Kevin Durant left for Golden State.

The UCLA product won his only league MVP in the said season, averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game. Russell Westbrook also averaged a triple-double in three more seasons in 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2020-21.

Besides being the league’s MVP, Russell Westbrook is also a nine-time NBA All-Star (2011-2013, 2015-2020), two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2015, 2016), two-time All-NBA First Team member (2016, 2017), two-time NBA scoring champion (2015, 2017), three-time NBA assists leader (2018, 2019, and 2021), and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, among others.

After spending his first 11 years with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook bounced around the league and played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now with the Los Angeles Clippers, Westbrook has adapted to his new Sixth Man role. In the 2023-24 campaign, the 35-year-old is averaging career-lows of 11.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 45.2 percent shooting from the floor.