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Russell Westbrook's chapter in Steven Adams' book is the best thing you'll read today
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- Russell Westbrook's chapter in Steven Adams' book is the best thing you'll read today
Steven Adams ' book is a must-read for basketball and non-basketball fans alike. It transports you into a time machine as soon as the Houston Rockets center talks about his childhood and the winding road that led him to the NBA.
But perhaps the most unexpected thing about the book is what it does to your perception of Russell Westbrook . Adams speaks of his former OKC Thunder teammate with a warmth and reverence that cuts through every preconceived notion you might have carried about the volatile guard.
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And how did Westbrook return the favor? Now, that alone makes the book worth picking up.
Man of a few words
When the Thunder chose Adams as the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Russ was already the team's leader alongside Kevin Durant . Over that span, they reached the Western Conference finals twice, losing out to the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors .
After KD left Oklahoma City to join Dub Nation, Westbrook became the lone ranger for the Thunder. The team never had the same success as they had with Durant, but individually, Brodie kicked up another gear. He started collecting triple-doubles like they were nothing and went three straight seasons averaging double-digits in points, rebounds, and assists.
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Fittingly, Adams dedicated Chapter 16 of his autobiography to Mr. Triple Double. He started the chapter remembering how Beastbrook was showered with MVP chants in the Mile High City. That alone shows how much Steven appreciated Russ during their time in Oklahoma City.
Adams was the perfect low-maintenance partner for Westbrook and they had several unforgettable years together when the latter was the lone alpha of the pack.
For all of the kind words Adams threw Westbrook's way, one would expect something equally generous in return. Russ, however, had other ideas.
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"He's great," was Westbrook's entire thought on his former teammate. Nothing more and nothing less, that was the whole chapter.
Knowing Adams' personality and humor, it was his own self-deprecatory way of poking fun at himself. Steven doesn't need to be showered with words of praise or anything like that. But it also tells readers something about Westbrook as a person.
" Russell Westbrook can be stingy with his words," wrote GQ's Daniel Riley in 2016.
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Truer words have never been spoken. Westbrook has never been one for sentimentality. He keeps things short and honest, and doesn't say anything more than he needs to. For anyone who has followed Russ's career, those two words were not a slight; it was just his personality.
Like a big brother
Adams grew up in a large household. His dad had Steven in his 60s, so he had several older brothers and sisters, some of whom are old enough to be his mom or dad. But even so, Steven thinks of Westbrook as his big brother , someone who never hesitated to say things that needed to be said, never mind the tone.
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"He just reminded me of one of my older brothers, you know what I mean?" Adams said in a 2021 interview on "The Old Man & The Three" podcast. "They're intense and stuff and they say a lot of things and whatnot, but you kind of got to sift through all that and see what they actually say. It doesn't really matter how intense they say it, as long as the message is getting across."
Only someone with Adams' background could see through Westbrook that clearly. He never took the intensity personally and Brodie never had to dial it down around him. By NBA standards, that mutual understanding is about as good as it gets.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
