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| Russell Westbrook's intensity and abilities conjure up memories of Allen Iverson. |
Allen Iverson was the epitome of controversy during his 15-year career. But A.I. was also one of the most captivating figures of the generation, igniting a style of "hip-hop" basketball that a lot of people scorned, and a whole lot of others embraced. There one was one aspect of Iverson no one could deny; the guy could play ball. His style of play was electrifying, stunning, exciting and yet often misunderstood. After thumbing through Bill Simmons Iverson section in his "Book Of Basketball" (Which is by the way, the best sports book I've ever read), I felt as if there were far too many connections between Westbrook's style of play and Iverson's to not at least touch on. Here are some of the quotes from the book that should at least turn the lightbulb on in your head even if you don't completely agree:
Every post-Y2K ticket to an Iverson game guaranteed a professional, first-class performance (no different from reservations at a particularly good restaurant or hotel) and for whatever reason, he was always more breathtaking in person. He's listed at six feet but couldn't be taller than five-foot-ten, so every time he attacked the basket it was like watching an undersized running back ram into the line of scrimmage for five yards a pop (think Emmitt Smith).
Ok, Westbrook is definitely taller than Iverson was (he's listed at 6'3" though I think he's more like 6'1") and though I've never seen Russ in person, I have no doubt in my mind that he is that much more scintillating. If watching him on TV is insane, then sitting in the stands must be jaw-dropping. But the real comparison is the way they attack the basket. Russell, like Iverson, gets to the rim like it owes him $20 200 bucks. At times it's abusive (something reserved more for Westbrook's game) and at other times it's a thing of beauty; the two getting around a seven-footer just because they had a quicker first step. Both have the versatility to attack the rim with finesse or power, something that makes stopping them a daunting task.
He took implausible angles on his drives (angles that couldn't be seen as they unfolded, even if you'd been watching him for ten years) and drained an obscene number of layups and floaters in traffic.
There are times when Westbrook goes up for a layup, gets contested by multiple defenders, and has the ultimate dexterity and balance to finish, sometimes in a seemingly easy nature. Both him and Iverson passed the "Oh my god, how did he do that test" about a thousand times, and Westbrook is only entering his fifth year so we have no idea what type of ceiling Russ has.
He had a knack for going 9-for-24 but somehow making the two biggest shots of the game. And he played with an eff-you intensity that only KG and Kobe matched (although MJ remains the king of this category).
Does that 9-for-24 part ring any bells with Westbrook? Hell yeah it does. While Russ hasn't shown a consistency in the clutch, he has had plenty of hideous shooting performances that have turned out for wins for his team. Westbrook, unlike, Iverson has a teammate that is an even more prolific scorer than he is and most of the time it's the right move for Russ to defer to KD. Iverson never had a KD, never had really anyone on his level, but you could imagine what would have happened if he did. Of course, we'll get to this section in more detail later. Oh and that intenstiy that Simmons talks about? Yeah, Westbrook seems to play with the whole world on his shoulders, dunking on people and still letting them know about in their nightmares later that night.
[ The anti-Iverson contingent] weren't interested in figuring out how an alleged coach-killer who allegedly monopolized the ball, allegedly hated to practice and allegedly couldn't sublimate his game to make his teammates better doubled as one of the most revered players by his peers.
Some of this quote is a little bit more Iverson-biased, but monopolizing the ball and the inability to make his teammates better while somehow serving as one of the most "revered" players by other NBA players resonates with Westbrook. I don't exactly know what his reputation is with other players, but I know that Durant has publicly backed Russ plenty of times even after the most brutal shooting and turnover nights from the point guard. We have to assume that there is some respect there for Westbrook who plays his heart out every night, even if his stat lines can sometimes make you puke. There are a lot of NBA analysts and fans out there who say Westbrook is the biggest roadblock in KD's rise to dominance, and I think there underplaying the fact that this guy is only 23 and has time to mature. He's the point guard, he's supposed to have the ball for extended periods of time, and sometimes, especially with his talent, he needs to take it to the rack or shoot the ball. There's this phenomena in the world of basketball called "rhythm" and players discover their rhythms differently. That's the way Russ finds it.
And yeah, his field goal percentage wasn't that good and he took too many shots. Whatever. Fifty years from now, I hope people realize that Iverson had better balance than everyone else, that he was faster and more coordinated than everyone else, that he took a superhuman pounding and kept getting up, that he was one of the all-time athletic superfreaks.
This quote might scream "Derrick Rose" to a lot of people, but the way we saw Westbrook explode in the playoffs, in the biggest moments, makes me believe that he is the fastest player in the game. And if you don't agree so be it, the margins between Rose and Westbrook's abilities to get to the rack are so minute it hurts. But there is something about Westbrook's abundant fire that separates him from Rose. Iverson was explosive and he let you know about it too. While Rose is an ultimate competitor, a part of me likes Westbrook's outpouring of emotion on every play; sometimes being loud is a good thing. That's the way Iverson did it, loud and in-charge. Somehow commanding the paint despite the fact he barely reached six feet. Russ might be a inch or three taller than A.I. but his dominance of the paint reminds me all too much of Iverson.
At his peak, Iverson played with a compelling, hostile, bloodthirsty energy that nobody else had. He was relentless in every sense of the word, a warrior, an alpha dog, a tornado. He was so quick and coordinated that it genuinely defies description.
"A tornado." Isn't that an eerily fitting description of both Iverson and Westbrook (well maybe a little bit more for A.I.) Like a tornado, the two are awe-inspiring, mind-blowing and seriously destructive. Sometimes their destruction happens to the opponents, and sometimes it happens with their own teammates. Iverson, at times, even brought that destruction in the locker room, press conference and in every day life, which added to his unique legacy. Westbrook has been able to keep that tornado a controlled one, well at least on the hardwood. And yes most of Russ' plays generally defy description as did a majority of A.I's.
The comparisons are certainly there, even if you think they're far fetched. But two major differences lie between the two.
Westbrook has teammates, seriously talented teammates, including a teammate that will probably have a better basketball legacy than A.I. did and Westbrook will. Iverson never had a smidgeon of a teammate. His best two companions? Theo Ratliff who burnt out faster than Shaun Alexander, and an aging Dikembe Mutombo who got old too fast. Philly's front office did absolutely nothing to try and help Iverson, except for misjudging talent and misappropriate monster contracts like it's going out of style. Westbrook has the backing of one of the best front offices in basketball. It hasn't even been five years for Russ, but it already seems as if his supporting cast will be forever superior to Iverson's. So it's hard to imagine what A.I. could have done had he played with the depth of talent Westbrook does. Maybe his legacy would've been a more positive one, that centered more around his team accomplishments more than his off-the-court difficulties. Maybe there never would have been the issues outside of basketball. Maybe Iverson would have been a positive story of change and turnaround in a man's life.
Going off of those "what-ifs" is the other difference between the two. Iverson was a media scapegoat for the struggling NBA, that many thought was chalk full infested with thugs and gangsters who were more concerned with getting paid and rocking ice than playing team basketball. It was the "me" generation of the NBA, and Iverson was the headliner. Westbrook, on the other hand, is loved by the media. He and Durant team up to not only make a great duo on the court, but also off the court with their colorful style of dress and usually upbeat press conferences. Westbrook and A.I. could not be more polar opposites off the court.
While these comparisons might have some value at this point, I have to realize that Westbrook is only 23 years old and has plenty of times to change, mold and sculpt his game and mindset both on and off the court. Everyone like Allen Iverson for a while, until they decided his game was selfish and his attitude was negative. The same could easily happen for Westbrook, especially if the media continues to tag him as the reason the Thunder will never beat the Heat. Who knows? The future is bright for the 23-year-old, but it also could become increasingly dark.
One things for sure, watching Westbrook attack the rim with all types of intensity conjures up memories of Iverson doing the same. Just check Westbrook's 43 in Game 4 of last year's Finals and Iverson's amazing 48-point Game 1 performance against the Lakers in the 2001 Finals, they're all so similar, except for the outcomes.
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