“The Misunderstood Genius of Russell Westbrook”: A Feature on One of the Most Intriguing Figures in Professional Sport
By Ellie Cross
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/magazine/the-misunderstood-genius-of-russell-westbrook.html
In his feature piece entitled “The Misunderstood Genius of Russell Westbrook,” New York Times Magazine writer Sam Anderson divulged the inner workings of one of the NBA’s most considerable figures. Westbrook prefers being a personally private figure who just happens to be thrust into the spotlight every day. Because of this, the details Anderson was able to uncover made his story about the brooding and passionately loyal guard fascinating and ever so telling.
From stories of Westbrook turning a children’s book fair into an infatuation with childrens’ tied shoes to an attempt at shielding his left-handedness to the interviewer, Anderson included anecdotes about Westbrook that highlighted the utter bizarreness of his character. Although I had previously been aware of his unique personality, just one day full of descriptions from Anderson’s time with the organization allowed me to peer into the psyche of Westbrook, who has endured plenty of drama throughout his time in the NBA.
Most of all, what I enjoyed the most from this article was how Anderson tied Westbrook’s behavior into his never ending work ethic and fervent loyalty. Despite his situation — being left by his co-star, playing for one of the smallest markets in the NBA and living in Oklahoma — Westbrook furthered his time as OKC’s beloved underdog, the label that fits him well. His slogan “Why not?” has come to define him in every facet of his life, and that is how he intends to live for as long as he can.
Even though I already retained knowledge on Russell Westbrook and the interesting character he is, I definitely felt like I learned and gained more of an appreciation for how he behaves and holds himself after this feature. Being as private as he is, Westbrook did not grant Anderson permission to contact as many sources as I would have liked, but Anderson did a great job of enveloping Westbrook’s demeanor and his purpose in the NBA.
