‘Admire a Guy Who Gives a 100% Maximum Effort’- Charles Barkley Picks Russell Westbrook as His Favorite NBA Player

Russell Westbrook is one of the most aggressive basketball superstars to ever take to the court. While aggression means multiple things in basketball, the kind that Brodie shows is exactly what a team would need. He plays with a relentless pace and hustles as hard as he can to ensure his team is winning.

While his Washington Wizards have started 0-4 this season, Westbrook’s play has been elite. He isn’t taking solace in his numbers, but Russ has gotten a triple-double in every single game that he has played thus far.

That sort of drive to go after a win cannot be taught, and Charles Barkley appreciates that. He called Westbrook his favorite player to watch in an interview with MLB Hall of Famer Frank Thomas.

“He got some flaws, but I’m gonna watch Russell Westbrook all the time. Because as a fan or a teammate, I can admire a guy who gives a 100% maximum effort every single night. Everybody says that bogusness but everybody don’t play 100 miles an hour every single night, but Russell Westbrook does.”

Russell Westbrook: Is the recognition still accurate?

While Westbrook plays with aggression, is he really still putting in that effort every game? That is a false premise because, of course, he is. It is Russell Westbrook, one of the most emotional players in the game right now. However, his commitment could be brought under the scanner after his Wizards’ started the season poorly.

But how much of this start can be blamed on Russ, or even Bradley Beal, for that matter? The team’s defense hasn’t been clicking. Russ has never known to win games on the defensive side of the ball and has been doing his job to facilitate and score. Beal has been averaging 32 points, while Russ is averaging a triple-double.

Hopefully, Russ’s energy can be infectious and affect his teammates. While these are early pains, the season is way too short to fall behind right now.