Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta admits the Rockets needed Russell Westbrook's “athleticism.”

Fertitta says he was never concerned about bringing in another ball-dominant guard to pair with star James Harden.

“No, because I can remember watching Russell Westbrook against us a couple of times last year and I saw how he ran up and down that court and how his athleticism was so superior,” Fertitta told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “And I think it's one of the things that we were a little short on.”

Russell Westbrook is one of the most athletic players in the game. He's a blur in the open court, impossible to stay in front of and can get to the rim at will while finishing in heavy traffic.

The Rockets can't wait to watch Westbrook and Harden wreck havoc together next season. Houston is the only team in the league with two MVPs on its roster.

There’s arguably no one in the league who plays with the passion and energy which Westbrook has. It’s one of the reasons Oklahoma City Thunder fans loved Westbrook. Win or lose, you know what you’re going to get from Westbrook every night.

You don’t average a triple-double three years in a row without being a special talent. Westbrook put up 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 2018-19 while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 29.0 percent from beyond the arc and 65.6 percent from the free-throw line.

The Rockets expect Westbrook to shoot the ball better with them since he’ll have more space to shoot playing alongside Harden.