In 2008, Russell Westbrook was an unknown. Well, at least that’s what he thought. He had helped get UCLA to consecutive Final Fours and was the fourth pick in the 2008 NBA draft, but Westbrook felt like a no-name person during what was his first feature interview in a national publication.
I wrote this story on @russwest44 for @VibeMagazine in 2008. At the time he told me it was his first photo shoot and national feature story. pic.twitter.com/jcaC7bqLJA
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 10, 2017
That’s when a 19-year-old Westbrook revealed what motivates him.
Russell Westbrook at 19: "Nobody knows who I am. That's my motivation. Keep working hard and someday somebody is going to notice."
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 10, 2017
It’s a quote that helps you understand how some great athletes become great athletes. Again — star at a major college basketball program that received national attention, the fourth pick in the draft — yet he felt he needed to prove and make a name for himself. Just about everyone has talent, but very few people have that mentality.
And it’s fair to say that everyone knows Russell Westbrook’s name now, including LeBron James, as his (likely) MVP season reached a crescendo this past week with thetriple-double record and a buzzer beater on Sunday night. What Westbrook is doing seems completely insane, and yet, everything he does on a basketball court feels unreal but just keeps happening.
“There's certain things you never think you're going to see.” @KingJames sends his praise to @russwest44. #Respect pic.twitter.com/38kjGMd6yi
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) April 10, 2017
Then again, maybe Westbrook hasn’t done enough to get everyone’s love?
Kawhi is my MVP. Best perimeter defender in NBA and averaging 25.8 PPG on 61 TS% on a 61-win team. He checks more boxes than anybody else.
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) April 9, 2017
A teenaged Westbrook probably loves getting that praise from LeBron, and might even say “Why Not?”
