Before gearing up to compete in Saturday night's 3-point Contest, Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield was asked to name one player that he would like to see win an NBA championship. His answer? The “vampire” himself, Russell Westbrook.

“Russell Westbrook. He’s a good dude man. I think people give him a lot of c**p for how he plays. He’s a Hall of Famer, I feel like people don’t give him the respect that he deserves,” Hield said via ClutchPoints' Tomer Azarly.

Hield's comments might surprise some people given recent rumors of how Westbrook was percieved in the Los Angeles Lakers locker room. He clearly is not subscribing to any notion that the nine-time All-Star is a nuisance to a team's culture, or a hindrance to their on-court success. It can sometimes be forgotten that Westbrook is already guaranteed Hall of Fame enshrinement in Springield.

His tenure with the Lakers makes it easy for fans to succumb to recency bias and sully quite the impressive and lengthy NBA résumé. He has averaged 22.5 points, 8.4 assists and 7.3 rebounds for his career and averaged a triple-double in four seasons (three straight 2015-18). That may be the past, but Westbrook can be revived on a contender who knows how to best utilize him.

The league's metamorphosis into perimeter-oriented offenses has not helped the 34-year-old point guard win over young crowds. An unsuccessful track record in the playoffs post-Kevin Durant could also put him below players like Chris Paul and Damian Lillard for who the public would deem most worthy of winning their first ring.

Westbrook does not have to be the one to lead a team to a championship, though. Nor would he be just a cog in the machine, like a suit-clad Juwan Howard with the Miami Heat. His intensity and playmaking translate to any era of basketball. He could still be a key spark plug off the bench of a title team.

Hield clearly knows that. It remains uncertain if the fans do, though. Or if Westbrook can outright prove it himself. Until the former MVP is bought out by the Utah Jazz, Hield's fantasy cannot not even be pondered.