OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A year ago, uncertainty surrounded Russell Westbrook.
Kevin Durant stunned the league by leaving Oklahoma City for rival Golden State in free agency. The four-time scoring champion and former MVP had been the central piece in making the Thunder one of the league’s elite teams since the franchise’s move to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Westbrook had played his entire NBA career alongside Durant, so questions about how Westbrook would respond immediately cropped up.
He defiantly answered them with memorable performances.
Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double for a season and won his second scoring title.