The most discussed piece of history Westbrook has chased down was averaging a triple-double for a single-season joining Oscar Robertson as the only two men to do so. Westbrook also broke Robertson’s record for most triple-doubles in a season by recording 42 triple-doubles in one season surpassing Robertson’s 41.
Being one of two men ever to do it wasn’t good enough for Westbrook he wanted to be alone in history which is as Westbrook as Westbrook can get so he did it twice being the first person in human history to average a triple-double in back to back seasons. Westbrook has been climbing the ladder of career triple-doubles with a fury as Westbrook has registered 85 in the past three seasons and a total of 104 for his career. That puts him fourth on the list of most triple-doubles in a career only behind Jason Kidd third with107, Magic Johnson second with 138 and the king of the triple-double Oscar Robertson with 181.
Westbrook can turn his attention closer to home for his next history takeover, and that’s in the shape of the points record for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Seattle SuperSonics who’s history was brought over when the franchise was bought and relocated to Oklahoma from Seattle by owner Clay Bennett. Westbrook could overtake both Sonics legend Gary Payton who is the all-time leader in points with 18,207 and second on the list Thunder future legend Kevin Durant who has scored the most points in Thunder history with 17,556. Westbrook is currently sitting in third with 17,184. So how does Westbrook become the all-time points leader for both Sonics and Thunder history? Simply be average.
Westbrook averages 23 points per game for his career, and if we assume Westbrook does what he has done for seven out of the ten seasons he has been in the league and play more than 80 games he will score 1,840 points which would leave him on 19,024 points for his career surpassing Payton and Durant to become the leader of points scored. Westbrook could also overtake Durant in free throws as Durant leads with 4,599 free throws with Westbrook second on the list with 4,389. Westbrook has a career average of 5.9 free throws per game stretched out over 80 games Westbrook would take the lead with a total of 4,861 free throws.
By the end of Westbrook’s career, if he stays with the Thunder for the duration of his time in the league, he will become the leader in most of the statistical categories of Thunder/Sonics history and ultimately go down as the greatest to ever pull on a Thunder jersey. Westbrook also holds some NBA records such as the highest usage rate by a player for a season which was formerly owned by Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. Bryant had a usage rate of 38.7 percent back in the season of 2005-2006 that was until Kevin Durant decided to leave Westbrook in Oklahoma and make his way to San Fransisco Westbrook had a record-breaking usage rate of 41.8 percent. Westbrook was the first player in history to average 31 points, ten rebounds and ten assists and the first player to get a triple-double without missing a shot going 6-of-6 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2016-2017 season was an extraordinary season by Westbrook it ended in a first round exit in the playoffs, but it ultimately finished with him winning his first Most Valuable Player award.
There is more history out there for Russell Westbrook to hunt down but the history Westbrook is hell-bent on hunting down is bringing the first championship to Oklahoma City with Paul George by his side for the next three seasons he is heading in the right direction.