Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Maurice Cheeks is only a day away from his long-awaited enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, but while he is being inducted for his accomplishments as a player, his post-playing career is just as worthy of The Hall.

Cheeks took on a young Russell Westbrook since Day 1, brought into the fold by then-coach Scott Brooks on a mission to reel in the incredibly talented yet wildly unpredictable Westbrook. The young guard's rookie season showed plenty of promise, but spelled worries of his train-like mentality, which resulted in a plethora of turnovers and missed opportunities.

During his career, Cheeks was the polar opposite of Westbrook — composed, efficient, and savvy — prioritizing putting his team in the very best position to score, as a prototypical point guard would.

Mo, as he is affectionately known through NBA circles, didn't possess the dynamism, the athleticism, or the bravado that Westbrook has displayed over his nine-year career — yet somehow he developed into the only person who could survive a complete Westbrook meltdown on national television and live to tell the tale.

It was late in the third quarter of a game in January 2013 against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Thunder were leading by 25 at the time. Westbrook turned the ball over on a five-second back-to-the-basket violation and exploded in ire, slamming the ball and raging on his way to the Thunder bench.

Westbrook's tantrum ended in him slapping a chair out of place and heading to the locker room. Cheeks would closely follow and return with Westbrook minutes later, able to somehow calm him down.

“He used to get frustrated and go sideways,” teammate Nick Collison said of Westbrook a couple of seasons ago, according to ESPN's Royce Young. “But he's able to now sit down, snap out of it, come back, say something to build some confidence and help the team.”

So how does Cheeks relate and in some way possess the magic flute to get his All-Star point guard under control?

Merely honesty and mutual respect, as it appears.

“He's just down-to-earth,” said Westbrook. “We always keep it 100 with each other. He's always straightforward, always telling me what he sees throughout the game to help me become a better point guard because he's obviously one of the greats.”

“I always listen and sit down and get all the knowledge I can from him any time I can. Keep that relationship going because it's a great bond that we have and I cherish it.”

Only hours away from Springfield, Cheeks will be lauded for his accomplishments on the court, while another likely Hall of Famer will be cheering for him for his contributions on the sidelines.