Russell Westbrook: NBA Draft Profile

College: UCLA

Class: Sophomore

Position: PG/SG

Height:  6’3”

Weight: 189lbs

Accolades:  Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (08), Pac-10 All-Defensive Team (08), Third Team All-Pac-10 (08).

Scouting Report:  An NBA-level athlete able to play both backcourt positions. 

Strengths:  Versatile – can ably play both point and shooting guard positions.  Tremendous athlete.  Can jump out of the gym.  Great defender – had 63 steals his sophomore year.  Very good assist man who takes good care of the ball.  Has three-point range on his jumper.  Capable scorer.  Long wingspan.  Big hands.  Got to practice against some very good guards his two years at UCLA.  Great work ethic.  Game seems to vastly improve with each year – late bloomer.

Weaknesses:  Very inexperienced – didn’t play many minutes his freshman year.  Will need more experience playing the point guard spot.  Needs to become a more consistent outside shooter.  Still quite inconsistent and streaky.  Is he a dreaded “tweener” (no real position)?

Projected 2008 Draft Range:  Lottery pick.

Consensus:  Westbrook is an NBA highlight reel type of athlete that excels at both ends of the floor.  His ability to play both guard positions makes him even more valuable, however, due to his size he will have to become more of a pure point guard.  With his skills and athletic ability the sky is the limit.