Nike Basketball News

The Collection: Russell Westbrook Playoff Edition Hyperfuse 2011

tonyhellberg1 — Tue, 03 May 2011 23:51:13 GMT

Start with the lightweight upper.

Exceptional quickness.

Move on to the mesh innersleeve.

Exceptional breathability.

Then: its rubberized outsole.

Exceptional durability.

Take every advantage.

Like the point man whose full court dashes make Loud City crank it up to 11.

His Playoff Edition Hyperfuse 2011s know:

Stay Quick or Stay Home.

The Collection: Russell Westbrook Away Player Edition Black Max Fly By

tonyhellberg1 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:41:07 GMT

A teenager can’t double-double his squad to a deep run in March.

Especially not after averaging less than 10 minutes per game the season before.

Undersized combo guards don’t go in the Draft Lottery.

Especially not when they’re known more for their defense.

WHY NOT?

Russell Westbrook couldn’t dunk until his senior year of high school.

He was too much of an “athlete” to become a legitimate point guard in the league.

And he’s still too young to turn a silly All-Star appearance into a championship-defining experience on the game’s biggest stage.

But WHY NOT? is more statement than inquisition.

One Russell Westbrook makes in his Away Player Edition Black Max Fly By.

The Collection: Russell Westbrook Away Player Edition Max Fly By

tonyhellberg1 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:31:50 GMT

Very few point guards ever even toe the 20-and-10 line.

Yet this rising star registers a double-double every other time he steps on the floor.

Good measure: he’s tied for the league lead in triple-doubles.

A Top-15 scorer paired with a Top-10 sharer, he’s Top-5 in steals, too.

But we all know this dynamo’s game isn’t based on numbers: Russell Westbrook’s transcendent worth to his team can barely even be measured by the moments that take your breath away.

So it’s a good thing the Max Fly By combines the ultimate in lightweight, breathable durability for superior impact protection.

This Away Player Edition is designed for safe landings - even in enemy territory.

The Collection: Russell Westbrook Away Player Edition Hyperfuse

tonyhellberg1 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:28:04 GMT

Superior stability. Breathable mesh. Durable outer skin.

Layer and fuse.

Outlet pass. One-man fastbreak. Pick-and-roll demon. Ankle-breaking crossover magician.

Layer and fuse.

Whether he’s picking your pocket or breaking you down, only one question remains:

Will he assault the tin himself - or was it all just a setup for someone else?

Russell Westbrook takes the Thunder on the road in his Away Player Edition Hyperfuse.

The Collection: Russell Westbrook Player Edition Hyperfuse

tonyhellberg1 — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:57:36 GMT

Superior breathability - even when defenders can’t catch their breath.

Durability: for the 82-game grind that’s only a prelude to June.

And stability. Safe landings for these springboards strapped to the feet of high flyers.

The seamless evolution of Russell Westbrook’s game now leaves defenders gasping for air. He’s pushing the pace from the front of Oklahoma City’s furious attack in his Player Edition Hyperfuse.

Congrats USAB, On Top of the World!

tonyhellberg1 — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:11:40 GMT

On Top of the World

The adversity was implied - both whispered and shouted - in every word written, every tweet tweeted, every morsel of doubt the naysayers could find. One meandering column or exclamation point at a time.

Too young. Too inexperienced. Too many superstars taking a World Championship pass.

The adversity was real, a virtual sea of Turkish red. The Sinan Erdem Dome: 15,000 raucous Turks buoyed by the home team’s seminal semifinal theatrics, further charged to cheer down these upstart Americans.

Too difficult. Too loud. Too many things that could easily go wrong in the ocean between New York City and Istanbul, Turkey.

But writers write. Fans cheer. And players play.

Talent knows no fear in the face of togetherness. Confidence requires no age limit. International superstardom is not comprised of regular season scoring titles or NBA All-Star games. The champion’s dictionary deletes words like “impossible” and replaces them with pictures of gold medals. There is no maestro like Coach K.

Overshadowed by everything:

Summer’s end, college football, Labor Day.

Mindful of everything else:

16-year FIBA droughts, their own country’s indifference, 9/11.

With eyes laser-focused on the red, white and blue name stitched on the front of their jerseys, they embraced all that adversity. They embraced European basketball, one trapezoidal possession at a time. And shook down perceived shortcomings, one suffocating lesson in team at a time.

Podium please.

Gentlemen, you’re back on top of the world.

To see pictures of the road to victory visit www.facebook.com/nikebasketball

All-Star Round-Up: Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder

tonyhellberg1 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:16:24 GMT

Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant

Season stats: 29.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.9 APG

Durant’s game is becoming an “anything you can do, I can do better” memo to the league. He’s taking - and making - more shots. Taking - and making - more free throws. Grabbing more rebounds, dishing out more assists and picking more pockets than he ever has before. And when a player less than two years removed from winning Rookie of the Year does that, he ends up third in the league in field goals made. First in free throws made. Top-10 in free throw percentage (87.5%) and player efficiency rating (24.5). Second in total points scored (1,289) and third in scoring average (29.3). Consider his 12 double-doubles icing on the cake.

Russell Westbrook

Season stats: 15.9 PPG, 7.3 APG, 4.9 RPG

OKC’s leading assist-maker is also second on the team in scoring. A high-flying point, Westbrook ranks third on the team in offensive rebounds - the better to ram home putback jams. Russell currently resides in the Top-10 league-wide for total assists, assist average and assist percentage - officially ending all debate about whether he’s a legit 1.

Portland Trailblazers

Brandon Roy

Season stats: 23.1 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.6 RPG

If the rule goes, “the best indicator of future success is past performance” t

Rule, meet your definition. By rule, we mean: “the best indicator of future success is past performance.” By definition: Brandon Roy. Shooting for his third straight All-Star Weekend appearance, Roy is right on the numbers that got him there the past two seasons. Upgrades include career-high shooting marks (48.4% FG) and points per (23.1; 9th-best in the league). And then there’s his annual flirtation with the famed 20/5/5 line. The big difference? He’s doing it this year with basically no help. Injuries have taken down his big men, his running buddies on the wing and even his head coach. That Portland is not looking up (and out) at the Western Conference playoff picture is a testament to their unquestioned leader.

Combat Players of the Week: December 29 to January 4

TheLetterJ — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:03:33 GMT

Basketball is combat. You have to attack your man on both ends of the floor. That means pushing the ball on offense, taking it to the hole, being willing to draw contact and then fight through it to finish. It means attacking on defense. Getting position and maintaining that position. Taking the ball away and altering shots. And owning the glass – being relentless on both the offensive and defensive side.

Every Monday, a guard, a wing, and a big will be nominated as the Combat Players of the Week. As the new year begins, here are the players who started 2010 Prepared For Combat.

Guard: Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Russell is developing before your eyes. His numbers are up across the board – 16.4 points, 5.1 boards, and 7.3 assists per game — not bad numbers from a point. He's attacking the basket and getting to the stripe 5.4 times per game. And he's getting better as the season goes on, witnessed by his numbers in early January (23 points, 8 boards, and 9.5 assists over the past two games) - a big part of the emerging Thunder squad.

Wing: Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers)

Andre brings an attacking mindset on both ends of the court. You know he's looking to lock down the best offensive weapon on the opposition (hence his 2 steals per game). But he also attacks on offense, delivering 18.5 points, 6.8 boards, and 5.6 assists per game. Oh, and he gets to the line 6 times, as he'll take it right at you.

Big: Chris Bosh, Toronto (Toronto Raptors)

It's tough to not single out Bosh – being one of two players in the league averaging over 20 points and 10 boards a game. (The Clippers' Chris Kaman is the other.) On the season, Bosh is putting up 23.7 points, 11.3 boards, and getting to the line a ridiculous 9 times per game. He's the focus of the offense, and he is coming through.

Who should be the Combat Player of the Week? Westbrook, Iguodala, or Bosh?

School Days: Russell Westbrook

TheLetterJ — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:30:44 GMT

Today, you know him as a high-flying highlight reel poised to be an annual NBA Slam Dunk Contest candidate. True story: Russell Westbrook wasn't even able to dunk until his senior year at Leuzinger High School (Lawndale, California).

"My first dunk was in high school - my senior year. We were playing against a rival school of ours, packed house, you know. I got a steal and didn't think I was going to make it actually. I just went up and jumped as high as I could. I was REALLY excited - I knew it would give our team momentum and get us going. The most important thing was that we won the game."

Arriving at that heightened highlight took years of hard work.

"I was always kind of short. Then I got lucky and grew a couple of inches, but I had already been working really hard. So I just continued to work. And you've got to know and realize that you might not see (growth) within a couple of months. It took me years - but then it happened at the right time."

Russell wanted to make sure that if he ever got into that rarefied air, he had what it took to stay there.

"(Mastering) the fundamentals is so important. And it's important because as you go up in levels of competition, you're not just going to be able to dunk it every time. So if if you grow or even if you are blessed to be able to explode like that, as the people you play against get better you're going to have to be able to do something else. At some point, you're going to have to figure out how to score below the rim using floaters and different kinds of layups."

This late-bloomer exploded as a senior, averaging 25.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He recorded 14 double-doubles and eight games with 30 or more points - including a career high 51 - in leading his team to the state quarterfinals.

"It meant so much to me, especially for my (high) school. I guess you could say we were both kind of below the radar, and me going out there and getting better with my team, we put the school on the map. It was really helpful to the community - and it was fun."

The Long Beach Press-Telegram honored Russell with a spot on their "Best in the West" team. Scout.com labeled him the second-best shooting guard in the West.

"It really came down to staying confident. Especially when I became the 'go-to' guy and I knew the ball was coming to me. I tried not to force the issue, to basically let the game come to me. I knew I was the 'go-to-guy,' so the ball was always going to come my way. I just had to be ready."

And if things didn't go his way?

"Just continuing to work. It was hard if I had a bad game or if we lost. But just about every time, if I went and worked out on the court, I started to feel better. Getting better became how I stayed confident, stayed ready to play and was able to bounce back from anything."

A Southern California kid, Russell was happy to accept a scholarship offer at nearby UCLA. But amidst a stacked roster, he needed to find a new niche.

"I was trying to really work on my defense, especially coming out of high school (being known) as a scorer, I wanted to be prepared to guard people at the next level. To be able to stay in front of guys. And that came down to me really working on my legs, working out a lot more, focusing on lateral movement - both in the weight room and on the court."

Russell began to elevate his level of play.

"The most important thing is staying focused. Focusing in on what you're doing - whatever it is you want to do in life. Know your goals and then you don't let anything stop you. If you want to play, coach - even if it doesn't have anything to do with basketball - just continue to work hard at it and the result will happen. It might not happen as quickly as you would like, though. Mine sure didn't. But in the long run, it's worth it."

Even if you have to wait.

"Playing behind an established guy meant that I had to be very patient. But at the same time, I was always watching and learning. And working. Working on my game while being patient and learning - because you never know when your name is going to get called. So I was just trying to get better and work hard in practice, giving it 100% - I knew eventually I'd get my chance."

But when it did, it came with a little twist. With the starting point guard injured, Russell was forced to shift positions.

"It was very important to me to show people that I could be versatile. There were a lot of people questioning my ability to play the point - so going in I knew that I had to be extremely focused, run my team and win some games."

Russell just kind of, sort of, knew he was ready.

"I has been working SO hard. Just continuing to stay in the weight room, in the gym working on my game. Basically, I took what I had done my entire basketball life and expanded it. Stepped it up another level. And just got better. Playing more than one position is based on what type of player you are, what type of attitude you have and how good you really want to be. I just wanted to play - on the ball, off the ball, period."

Putting the team's needs first paid off in a big way. His stellar play on a pair of Final Four teams catapulted Russell into the NBA Draft Lottery.

"I always thought 'Team Goal.' Individual goals are basically something that you just put to the side. Team goals - especially when you're on that team - that's what's going to help you achieve your individual goals anyways."

That year spent mostly watching, waiting and learning played a role, too.

"Coming out of high school, just going to college is kind of different in and of itself. But then to have to wait to play, well, it ended up being a good experience for me. Just watching in practice and not playing as much forced me to learn how the coach wanted it done."

And as the point man on the team, perhaps no lesson paid off more for Russell.

"You know a coaches have a lot of different styles of play. And people like to say 'that doesn't fit the players' or whatever. But I think it's very important to stay focused on what the coach is trying to do with the team. Because the bottom line is: if you play within the team and achieve your goals together, all the individual stuff will come with that to. And if you want to make it to the next level, you've got to achieve those goals."

1-on-1: Russell Westbrook vs. Rajon Rondo - Better Late-Blooming Young Point Guard

TheLetterJ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:23:55 GMT

Today, you know one of these guys as a rim-rattling open-court maestro. The other? As the fearless lead-guard of one of the NBA's most storied franchises.

So if I told you that Russell Westbrook couldn't dunk until his senior year of high school. If I told you that just two years ago, Rajon Rondo was considered the weak link on a title-contending team.

How crazy would you think we were?

Thing is, both of those things are true. And it's the respective rise in each of their games that got us talking around the water cooler.

In one camp, there's the argument for raw athleticism unleashed.

The kind of kid who measures in at a respectable 6'3" 187 - and then gets his elbow stuck in the rim and reaches points on the backboard like guys more than half a foot taller. You know: the guys whose images just last a little longer in your mind when you start thinking about the pantheon of NBA dunkers all-time.

Crazy, when you think back and realize that when Russell was rocking his high school letterman's jacket, dude had about as much hops as the lead trumpet player in the band.

In the other camp, there's the argument for true game management taken to magic levels.

Triple-doubles-in-the-playoffs extremes. The kind of on-court leadership that filled the void of a missing team captain, went face-to-face with the other team's young rising star looking to make his mark and carried his squad on to the next round.

Ridiculous, when you think back and remember that people were saying the Celtics won the chip in spite of Rajon.

So here we are.

The decision is yours. Do you vote in favor of pure physicality? Or do you sway on over to the side on on-court mastery?

Who's the better late-bloomer: Russell Westbrook or Rajon Rondo?

Play With Heart Moments: October 28, 2009

TheLetterJ — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:59 GMT

Check out Play With Heart moments from Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, and Al Horford.

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Oklahoma City made a statement in its first game of the season, beating Sacramento 102-89. Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook had the pure drive to win. Durant had a double-double, with 25 points and 11 rebounds, two of which came on a baseline-to-baseline finish in the first quarter. Northwestern High School alumnus Jeff Green chipped in 24 points, going 4-5 from behind the arc, along with 8 rebounds. Russell Westbrook ran the offense to perfection, finishing with 14 points and a career-high 13 assists, including a pretty thread of the needle to Durant in the second quarter.

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Steve Nash was clutch in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 24 points--including 7 straight Suns points--in the final stanza, as Phoenix beat the Clippers 109-107. With 5 seconds to go, Nash hit a circus layup in traffic, which would be the deciding points in the Suns victory.

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Atlanta's Al Horford had 24 points, 16 rebounds to lead his team over Indiana 120-109, with two of those points coming on a follow-up dunk in the middle of the fourth quarter. But he also showed up in the box score with 4 assists, including two in the third quarter on consecutive possessions.

What was your favorite Play With Heart moment from Wednesday?

The Family: OKC's Finest

Hotnix — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:30:56 GMT

OKC isn’t going to the playoffs this season, but with an exciting young corps of talent, led by Durant and Westbrook, they will be a threat in years to come.

Kevin Durant has been practically unstoppable for most of the season, but 31 points in an upset win over one of the best in the west deserves some extra mention. The sophomore gunslinger connected on a variety of slashing moves and spot up jumpers against one of the league’s best defensive teams. Big D hit on 12 of 19 shots in the win, which put a big dent into the Alamo City’s hopes for a division title.

Pretty good week for KD—averaging 24.8 PPG over his last five games, counting the 31 in Texas. But that actually is a full point below his season average of 25.8, an indicator of how superb Durant has been.

Lots of those points came courtesy of OKC point guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook doubled his average for the season when it comes to assists on Tuesday night in San Antonio, putting up ten to go along with sixteen points. Not a bad night, especially one turned in against one of the league’s elite PGs. Durant and Westbrook combined to pull a 96-95 upset, in no small measure thanks to the rookie’s cool and proliferation of dimes.

Two nights earlier, Westbrook & Co. fell short of another big upset in Beantown, but the rook did his all to make it happen, filling it up for 23 points in a losing effort. In total, Russell is averaging 15.7 points and 5.1 assists per game in his initial season, not bad numbers for a newcomer at any position, much less the most demanding one on the floor.

Here’s a fact that should send shudders through the league—both Durant and Westbrook are just 20 years old. Imagine what they can do when they grow up…

The Family: Westbrook's Triple-double

Hotnix — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:33:29 GMT

With all eyes on the #1, #2 and #3 2008-09 draft picks, a player like Russell Westbrook didn't get the attention he deserved as the #4 overall pick. But after last night's triple-double performance he's definitely at the top of the Rookie of the Year list.

There's a lot to be said about Westbrook who, like Canada's Steve Nash, has floated under the radar since high school. As a senior he lit up the L.A. area competition by averaging 25.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.3 assists. In four years he logged 57 three-pointers, 14 double-doubles, a career-high 51 points in a single game and scored 30 or more points eight different times. But like Nash, he still didn't attract a lot of attention from college recruiters. Not until L.A.'s blue and gold made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

In his two years of college he led his team to the national semi-finals twice. For his all-around game he was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, earned Third Team All-conference honors and was named to the conference All-Defensive Team. And then he joined O.J. Mayo and a class of well known one-and-dones to make the leap.

History proves that not all dominant college players are successful when they go pro. But with only half a season under his belt, Westbrook is following in the footsteps of his teammate, mentor and last year's ROY Kevin Durant. After averaging 15.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game in the first half of the season he was invited to play against KD in the Rookie/Sophomore game during the 2009 midseason classic in Phoenix. Sadly, he and the rookies lost as KD put up an enormous 46 points.

Last night his leadership skills were put to the test as the young Oklahoma City Thunder faced the veteran Dallas Mavericks without the injured Durant. Westbrook showed off his ability to penetrate and create easy baskets for his teammates with 10 assists. He went head-to-head with the big men to grab 10 rebounds. And in the end, he rounded out the triple-double with 17 points, including a beautiful alley oop jam in the second quarter.

With the recent resurgence of power point guards in the league, he's being mentioned in the company of Nash, Deron Williams and Brandon Roy, players that see the entire game, break down defenses and can get the ball to any one of their teammates at will. And as the OKC Thunder look to get their footing and establish themselves in the Western conference it'll be Westbrook's work as floor general that will take them to the top.

The Family: Versus

Hotnix — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:18:35 GMT

Although this year’s midseason classic is over, the stars are still shining bright heading into the second half of the season. Tuesday night promises some show stopping post-all-star action as the league’s youngest big guns face off against the game’s most unstoppable veterans.

O.J. Mayo's path to the league has paralleled that of his mentor, NBA superstar LeBron James. By the end of his senior year he was named Mr. Basketball of Ohio two straight times, Player of the Year twice and led his team to their third straight high school championship. Now, backed by high-flying forward Rudy Gay, the student will face the teacher at the pro level in a run and gun test of skills.

Later that night, the West lights up as the young star of this year’s all-star weekend Kevin Durant challenges the reigning league and All-star MVP Kobe Bryant in an all out offensive battle. After scoring 46 points in the Rookie Sophomore Challenge, breaking the record for most points ever scored during a midseason classic, he’ll have to bring his A-game and promising young rookie Russell Westbrook to come out on top.

This double-header starts Tuesday at 7:00pm ET.

NBA Regular Season

Monday, February 23

Atlanta vs. Utah @ 9:00pm ET

Tuesday, February 24

Memphis vs. Cleveland @ 7:00pm ET
L.A. Lakers vs. Oklahoma City @ 8:00pm ET

Wednesday, February 25

Orlando vs. New York @ 7:30pm ET

Friday, February 27

Cleveland vs. Boston @ 8:00pm ET

Sunday, March 1

San Antonio vs. Portland @ 8:00pm ET