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Oklahoma City Thunder point guard and reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook has been compared to a lot of things because players like him need to get described in a number of ways to encapsulate their greatness. For Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons, he likes to think of Westbrook as an animal, per Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com.
Inside locker room, Simmons calls Westbrook an “animal.”
The things that immediately stand out to him is that Westbrook is “explosive, quick, strong.”
— brianseltzer (@brianseltzer) December 15, 2017
Simmons made those comments ahead of the Sixers game against the visiting Oklahoma City squad Friday. It would be Simmons’ first time to share the floor in an official NBA game with Westbrook, whom he clearly looks up to based on the manner he praised the spitfire Thunder guard.
Simmons can’t get too awed of facing Westbrook, though, as they have a game to win. The Sixers are trying to build more momentum after ending a four-game losing skid with a 118-112 overtime road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves last Tuesday.
Westbrook and the Thunder, meanwhile, are looking for consistency as they are 2-2 in their last four games and 5-5 in their last 10.
Simmons began Friday with averages of 17.5 points, 7.7 assists, and 8.9 rebounds per game this season. He’d learn a lot from playing against someone like Westbrook, but he might want to avoid following the examples of Brodie when it comes to shot selection.
