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Former NBA Forward Calls Russell Westbrook 'Greatest Point Guard of All Time'

Matt Levine

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Former NBA forward Rashad McCants provided a very hot take during a recent appearance on the Gilbert Arenas podcast. While discussing who the greatest point guard of all time was, McCants went with current Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook.

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McCants clarified his comments, saying that Westbrook is the greatest at least statistically.

"Russell Westbrook is the greatest point guard of all time. Statistically... Statistically, it's no debate about it."

When people discuss the greatest point guard of all time, most would go with former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson. Recently, Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry has entered the discussion but that is typically where the conversation ends.

Westbrook has dominated during his time in the NBA but there aren't many who would consider him as the greatest point guard. To his credit, he just recorded his 200th career triple-double, the most in NBA history.

When McCants referenced the point guard, he borught up the triple-doubles. Westbrook has 62 more triple-doubles than Johnson ever had but Johnson had the overall title success in the league.

Westbrook has been among the most dominant players at his position, taking the point guard spot to new heights at times. His explosiveness throughout his career made him rise in the league.

The future Hall-of-Fame point guard has been among the better players in the NBA since he was drafted. Westbrook took the league by storm and it all led to him winning the NBA MVP during the 2017 season.

However, his overall play has declined in recent years, in part due to him losing some of his athleticism. Westbrook can still get to the rim with ease but his finishing ability isn't the same as it once was, nor is his bounce off the court.

He has played for multiple organizations in the past few years, ultimately hurting his value around the NBA. Westbrook has played for the Houston Rockets, Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and now the Nuggets since his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Now with the Nuggets, Westbrook has put himself into a nice role on a contending team. The veteran will have a strong chance to win his first-ever NBA title which would fully cement his legacy in the league.

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Matt Levine
MATT LEVINE

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