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Having surpassed his 55-year-old standing record, Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson revealed why he was so eager to see Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook break the very mark that had made him a mythical player throughout more than half a century.
“My vote is for Westbrook, and here’s why,” Robertson wrote in a self-publication in The Undefeated.
“1.) He took over the offense for the Oklahoma City Thunder after Kevin Durant’s blockbuster departure for the Golden State Warriors as a free agent changed the team’s composition.
2.) This season, he beats any other guard in a head-to-head matchup.
3.) Most important, he should be rewarded for his outstanding play this season and his career-making individual accomplishments.”
There you have it, for those who claim to be basketball purists, it doesn't get any more pure than history respecting history. A frank, no-nonsense person like “The Big O” had no frills about picking Westbrook as a deserving MVP, even though he himself finished third in the race back in his 1961-62 season.
That particular season was known as “a season for the ages” due to the outstanding statistical prowess and the overall star power of the league back in the day. Wilt Chamberlain did not win the MVP and was runner-up despite averaging a titanic 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game, while playing a whopping 48.5 minutes per game — he insisted in playing every minute of every game, including overtime. Bill Russell won the MVP, averaging 18.9 points and 23.6 rebounds per game.
The top-eight MVP candidates all played 40 minutes or more.
Robertson remains optimistic that Westbrook could eventually break his all-time triple-double mark of 181 triple-doubles if he stays healthy.
“People always want to compare players and eras, but you really can’t,” wrote Robertson. “You have to account for such things as minutes played, games played, changes in scoring, and other changes in the way statistics are kept. So I’m not drawn into comparisons between Westbrook and myself, or his era and my era. I leave that up to the basketball historians to decide.”
