Russell Westbrook has been one of the stars for the Sacramento Kings this season, despite the team’s disappointing run.
While proving he has enough in the tank at 37, Westbrook also hit a major landmark in his decorated NBA career. His top-five ranking in the league’s all-time assists saw former Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade heap praise on the Kings guard.
Why Dwyane Wade Believes No One Plays Like Russell Westbrook
Speaking on his Wy Network, Dwyane Wade, the former Miami Heat legend, discussed Westbrook’s stellar season.
“Russ is having one of the most underappreciated careers that we will see,” the three-time NBA champion said. “In his own right, just one of the GOAT careers. No one has a career like Westbrook, and no one plays the game like Westbrook. He is a 1 of 1. Congrats to Russ on that. You can’t tell Russ that he’s not the best.”
Westbrook made history when he passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash to take the fifth spot on the NBA’s all-time assists list. The veteran playmaker is now fifth in the standings with 10,351 career assists.
Ahead of the former MVP are LeBron James (11,964), Jason Kidd (12,091), Chris Paul (12,552), and John Stockton (15,806). James is the only other active NBA player on that list.
Per the NBA’s official site, Westbrook is also one of only two players in the league, alongside James, with at least 25,000 points and 10,000 assists. He recently added another milestone to his name as the only guard in NBA history to pass 9,000 career rebounds.
It has been a solid season for Westbrook this year, as he is averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists while shooting 42.7% from the floor. The all-time triple-double leader has cemented his case as one of the best point guards in the NBA.
The same, however, cannot be said for the Sacramento Kings this season. With injuries and inconsistency derailing their season, Westbrook has been a silver lining as the Western Conference side is set to finish last. At the time of writing, the Kings are 19-57.
The latest injury update on Westbrook is a damper for Kings fans. The team issued a statement on his foot injury, which has kept him out of the last few games for Sacramento.
Per insider Marc J. Spears, “Kings say guard Russell Westbrook recently underwent MRI imaging on his right foot after missing the last two games due to foot soreness. MRI imaging was consistent with irritation in the joint of the first toe on his right foot. He will be listed as out until further notice.”
While he continues to recover, it remains to be seen what the future holds in store for the explosive guard as the Kings hit an early summer. What doesn’t change is that he is one of the greatest players to set foot on an NBA court.
