University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Russell Westbrook Becomes Second Bruin to Win NBA's Scoring Title
Westbrook, a seven-year NBA veteran, joins two-time NBA scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only former UCLA players to have accomplished this feat. Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA’s scoring leader in 1970-71 and 1971-72 after having led UCLA to three consecutive NCAA titles (1967, 1968, 1969).
A four-time NBA All-Star (2011-13, 2015) and MVP of the 2015 All-Star Game, Westbrook scored a career-high 54 points last Sunday for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In all, he finished the season with 11 triple-doubles, including seven since the All-Star break.
After his 41-point performance in the All-Star Game, Westbrook averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game. In Oklahoma City’s first 10 games after the All-Star break, he averaged 34.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 11.4 assists. Over the last 50 seasons, Westbrook joined Michael Jordan as the only other player to average 33+ points, 10+ rebounds and 10+ assists over a 10-game span.
Westbrook recorded four consecutive triple-doubles in March, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989 to have four consecutive triple-doubles. He also became the first player since Jordan in 1989 to have logged back-to-back triple-doubles with at least 40 points. Westbrook’s 49-point, 16-rebound and 10-assist effort on March 4 marked the first time any player had scored that many points with a triple-double since Larry Bird had 49 in 1992.
Westbrook’s 11 triple-doubles this year were the most in a single season since Jason Kidd registered 13 triple-doubles in 2007-08. Westbrook was also named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month in both February and March this past season.