Russell Westbrook finally looking like himself

Russell Westbrook clearly enjoys making fashion statements. 

The Washington Wizards guard is known for his embrace of elaborate outfits and outrageous designs — his sense of style off the court is as electric as his style of play on it. That was underscored again after Sunday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets, when the 32-year-old sat down for his postgame press conference wearing a beige-colored hoodie that featured a pattern of flowers and barbed wire.

Dressed-to-kill Westbrook is as much a part of the former MVP’s persona as his explosive speed and his fiery will to win. To have one without the other, well, then he wouldn’t be Russell Westbrook. 

These days, the perennial All-Star is back to looking like himself, but it has more to do with a healthy leg than with the clothes he’s wearing.

Westbrook scored 41 points in Sunday’s bonkers 149-146 win over the Nets, including draining the game-winning 3-pointer to cap off a wild 3.8-second swing for Washington to take the lead. After teammate Bradley Beal hit a deep 3, Garrison Mathews stole the inbounds pass and Westbrook sprinted to the spot where he launched the go-ahead shot. 

The performance was the third-straight game in which Westbrook appeared to be back to 100%. He no longer seems affected by the left quad injury that hampered him to start the season and that led to Washington resting Westbrook for more than two weeks. The time off has worked wonders.

Over the last three games, Westbrook is averaging 28.7 points, 9 rebounds and 6.3 assists per contest on 49% shooting — numbers that bear a stronger resemblance to Westbrook’s last season with the Houston Rockets (27-7-7). More importantly for the Wizards, Westbrook is back attacking the rim, crashing the boards and pushing the pace — all core elements of the guard’s game. 

“When I took my time off … that definitely allowed me a little more time to be able to get healthy,” Westbrook said, “and be able to move and attack, and have legs underneath me to be able to play. I’m happy and blessed to be able to go out and compete.” 

Coach Scott Brooks said he saw a difference in Westbrook. Before reuniting in Washington, the pair spent eight seasons together in Oklahoma City, where Brooks watched Westbrook push through the pain to stay on the court. And if circumstances dictated that he had to sit out, Westbrook would often return — and perform — as if nothing happened. 

But Brooks wanted Westbrook, in his 13th season, to realize he’s at a different stage of his career. And to Westbrook’s credit, he bought in.

“I’m glad because he is an old man now,” Brooks said. “He needs to be smarter in his rehab.”

“Old me, I would’ve probably just kept playing and kept playing and would’ve never got to where I needed to be,” Westbrook said.

Of course, Westbrook wouldn’t have done the Wizards any favors by playing through the injury. In the seven games before his extended absence, Westbrook struggled to perform at a high level. With his quad preventing him from exploding to the basket, Westbrook settled for primarily mid-range jumpers and shot just 38.3%. Of Westbrook’s 135 field goal attempts in that span, 44.4% came from that distance. By comparison, only 23% of Westbrook’s attempts were mid-range jumpers last season.

As he’s recovered, Westbrook is back to attacking. Starting with last week’s loss to Houston, when Westbrook first resembled himself, 22 of Westbrook’s 46 shots have been inside 8 feet — good for 47%. He’s highly efficient, too, shooting 63.6%. On Sunday alone, 18 of Westbrook’s 28 attempts came at the rim. 

Westbrook isn’t just Westbrook, though, because of his offensive profile. His athleticism has also returned on the defensive end. Westbrook will never be known for his defensive prowess, but he recorded two blocks in Sunday’s win — including one on former teammate Kevin Durant late. Brooks calls Westbrook the “best rebounding guard in NBA history,” and that effort is needed for the Wizards. 

“I’ve always grown up loving his passion and loving his play,” said Mathews, a 24-year-old who was 11 when Westbrook was drafted. “His competitiveness and his fire is really some of the best fire and best competitiveness I’ve ever seen. … Just to watch him and his leadership coming with that, it’s awesome.” 

Westbrook “willed” the Wizards over the Nets, Brooks said. Washington expected Westbrook to have those nights frequently when the team traded John Wall for him. The Wizards will need more of it as they look to climb out of the cellar in the Eastern Conference. 

For the next month, Westbrook’s durability will be tested. Washington has 16 games in 28 days, starting with Tuesday’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. Even with Westbrook back, Washington will likely limit his availability on back-to-backs. 

Westbrook, however, knows that teammates feed off his energy.  And as long as he’s on the court, he’ll be focused on playing with that intensity. 

“It’s a part of my responsibility as a leader to make sure I bring it every single night,” Westbrook said. “I take pride in that.”