Upon hearing he would be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2016, Russell Westbrook made sure his childhood idol, Michael Jordan, was in attendance. Jordan took it a step further and spoke at the event and sang the 2008 draftee’s praise, holding him in very high regard.
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Comparing Russ’s passion for the sport to his own, Air Jordan spoke about the intensity with which the then-OKC star approached every game. Further, the Chicago Bulls legend lauded Mr. Triple-Double for his loyalty toward Oklahoma. Hear the heartfelt speech that MJ made in inspiredbyhoops’ reel.
“Russell Westbrook, I can’t say enough about this gentleman. But the thing about him that very few basketball players have is his passion for the game of basketball. Every time I played the game of basketball, when I stepped onto that floor, I always felt like there was someone there that never saw me play the game of basketball and that motivated me every single night. This kid has the same passion and you can’t give that.”
“I think another thing that you guys should be proud about is the sense of loyalty that this kid has shown. His passion for the game of basketball, you don’t teach that. You born with that. He shares it with everyone here in Oklahoma.”
Russell Westbrook had a historic 2016-2017 campaign. Lodging 42 triple-doubles, the athletic Guard went on to finish the regular season with an incredible per-game averages – 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists.
Due to it, despite the Oklahoma City Thunder’s finishing sixth in the Western Conference, Brodie was awarded the MVP trophy that year. Perhaps the kind words Michael Jordan directed toward him 10 months prior played a big part in his high levels of motivation.
Even now, well into the 2020s, Westbrook’s passion for the game is unwavering. While he may not be the MVP level player he once was, he’s continuing to try to prove naysayers and detractors wrong. It has unfortunately been an uphill battle given that he’s become the butt of many jokes since his time on the Lakers began.
