Westbrook named finalist
No surprise here. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook was named a finalist for the NBA’s MVP Award on Friday night. Former Thunder teammate and current Houston Rockets star James Harden was also an expected finalist.
If the NBA wanted him to attend its first-ever awards show, Russell Westbrook said, he’d be there.
On Friday, the Thunder guard got what amounts to his invitation.
Westbrook officially was named a finalist for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award on Friday, along with the Houston Rockets’ James
Harden and the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard.
The NBA will announce the winner — along with winners of the Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year and other awards — at the NBA Awards Show June 26 in New York City.
“If they invite me, I’m there,” Westbrook said at the Thunder’s exit interviews last month. “You only can go if you’re invited. If they invite me, I’ll go.”
Westbrook not only is invited to go, he’s the betting-line favorite to return with the MVP trophy.
This season he became the second NBA player ever, and the first since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62, to average a triple-double — double-digit points, rebounds and assists per game — for a full season.
A first-team All-NBA selection, Westbrook averaged career highs in points (a league-leading 31.6) and rebounds (10.7), and tied his career-high average in assists (10.4).
In announcing the finalists, the hosts of TNT’s Inside the NBA gave their endorsements for Westbrook. Former NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith
and Charles Barkley all said they’d give the nod to Westbrook.
“LeBron James is one of the only handful of players that could probably win the award every year,” O’Neal said. “He’s still the best player in the game, but I’d probably have to go with Russell Westbrook.”
The 28-year-old Westbrook would be the second Thunder player to win the MVP. Kevin Durant did it in 2014 and was the first player in the history of the franchise — including in its years as the Seattle SuperSonics — to do so. Summer plans The Thunder will take part in the Orlando Pro Summer League again this season, and its team is starting to take shape.
Two Oklahoma City rotation players, forward
Domantas Sabonis and guard Semaj Christon, are expected to play in the event, which will take place July 1-6 at the Orlando Magic’s practice court.
Rookie Alex Abrines said at least month’s exit interviews that he won’t play in Summer League.
Josh Huestis, who split his season between the Thunder and the Oklahoma City Blue, the franchise’s NBA Development League team, also is scheduled to play for the Summer League team.
At least two other Blue players are expected to play for the Thunder this summer: center Dakari Johnson, an All-NBA D-League first-team selection, and guard Daniel Hamilton.
The Thunder will round out its roster closer to the event. Oklahoma City owns the No. 21 pick in the June 22 NBA Draft. If the Thunder keeps the rookie it drafts in that position, he’s likely to play in the Summer League.
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