Michael Jordan recently said Russell Westbrook reminds him of his younger self.
“The attitude, trying to prove myself, showing so much passion for the game of basketball,” are a few of the similarities MJ sees between him and the young point guard.
Westbrook is the most explosive point guard in the game. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Jordan offered these remarks at a Las Vegas release of the Jordan Brand’s newest shoe, the Jordan XXX1. “The spirit these shoes represent is a feeling of defiance,” Jordan Senior Designer Tate Kuerbis said of the new kicks. Westbrook, who is the primary endorser of the shoe, matches that spirit perfectly. “You see it in his play,” Jordan continued, “he plays with energy and flair.”
“I really don’t know what to say,” Westbrook told Complex Sports in response to Jordan’s compliments. “To have the best player who ever played the game to say that about you as a player and as a person is something that is going to keep me striving.”
That should come as excellent news to Oklahoma City Thunder fans. With Kevin Durant gone, Westbrook is going to have to defy critics once again and carry the team on his own. (RELATED: Take A Deep Breath, OKC, Russell Westbrook Is Staying)
This is a responsibility the determined point guard is certainly capable of. It will be interesting to see just how well Westbrook compares the the greatest basketball player ever in the upcoming season.