Westbrook's meltdown, Best athletes in the NBA

As this is my inaugural post, I wanted to pick something very interesting to blog about. I've been catching up on my basketball and recently stumbled upon the highlights of the Memphis Grizzlies v. Thunder game. For those of you who didn't see this game, the Thunder won comfortably. But that wasn't the biggest headline. With about 8 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, Russel Westbrook absolutely exploded with anger on the court and on the bench. Enraged it seemed at one of his teammates, Thabo Sefolosha, for bickering with him over a particular play. 

Westbrook would storm to the bench not saying a word to anyone. What made things worse is that he refused to talk to anyone. He would eventually stomp to the end of the bench where assistant coach Maurice Cheeks would consule him. Westbrook would eventually push a chair over and run off into the tunnel. 

When interviewed by TNT's Craig Sager after the game about the incident, he had this to say,

Sager: What got you so upset?

Westbrook: Nothing, just a little miscommunication.

Sager: Between you and Thabo?

Westbrook: Nah. Just miscommunication.

Sager: At times do you think you need to control your temper more?

Westbrook: I control it like a man, like I did.

Sager: What’s that mean?

Westbrook: (doesn’t answer)

Sager: Put it behind you and go ahead and win?

Westbrook: If that’s what you say, bro.

Now to me this seems like major over reaction. Not only does Westbrook demonstrate how immature he is but how little respect he has for his teammates. Don't get me wrong, this guy is one of the most talented players in the league right now, but he has the emotional capacity of a 5th grader. This spells bad news for the Thunder. Wins will start to become distant to them if this issue isn't straigthened out. From my observations, this kind of player with a destructive personality can slowly destroy a very successful team. This is one story that you want to keep an eye in the future. 

My 5 freak athletes in today's game

In the process of composing this list, I have drawn my selections from the nba. There are many good athletes out there but some just jump out to you when you watch them. And here you go:

Honorable Mention: Jeff Green, Gerald Green, 

5. Demar Derozan, SG, Toronto Raptors

Sneaking in by a hair, I have Derozan on this list. After watching him in the Dunk contest a while ago, he can make this list. With the ability to get off the floor very quickly, Derozan can get any shot off. And he will only get better.

4. Russel Westbrook, PG, Oaklahoma City Thunder

This guy will be on almost everyone's list. One of the fiercest players as far as his aggressive mentality. He is relentless, always attacking on the offensive and defensive end. Many people forget he won PAC 10 defensive player of year with UCLA during the years when the league was a powerhouse of talent. Not an easy feat. Not enough can be said about Westbrook, one of the quickest first steps in the game combined with an explosive first jump almost makes him impossible to guard. 

3. Andre Iguodala, SF, Denver Nuggets

An interesting choice I'm sure, but one must understand that there is much more to athleticism than running and jumping. And Iggy excels at the more sutle movements. He always seems to under control, balanced but yet moving at his top speed all the time. Much can be valued in this, as any coach would want a composed athlete who knows how to use his abilities to great efficiency. Iggy does just that, a greatly efficient and composed athlete ready to be unleashed at any moment.

2. Blake Griffin, PF, Los Angeles Clippers

This one was tough as I am not the biggest fan of Blake. His game is too one dimensional and hasn't developed a jump shot yet but as far as leaping ability goes, he leads the group. He throws down such ferocious dunks Bill Walton sometimes can't find words for them and that is rare. Very agile for a man his size, Griffin continues to impress. I feel like the more I watch him play, the higher he jumps and thats scary. Also, he has the body of a grown man and many of us can forget how young he is still.

1. LeBron James, Every position, Miami Heat

No surprise to anyone, LeBron takes the crown. He is such a versatile player that he play every postion on the floor. Obviously any coach would jump at the drop of a dime to have him. With his size (6'8", 260) Lebron is agile like a cat, fast like a train, and strong as an ox. This combines to make a player that is unstoppable. This man can cover the court in fewer steps than anyone. What many seem to forget is that Lebron rarely gets injured, always starting every game and playing with great consistency. Take a body like Karl Malone and mold him with Chris Johnson and you have Lebron James.