For the upcoming NBA season, Russell Westbrook has joined the Denver Nuggets, where he will be teaming up with reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic. And the 35-year-old point guard made headlines with his glowing praise of the Serbian superstar, a statement some might interpret as a snub toward Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James.
“Nikola is the best player in the world and he’s performing at the highest level,” Westbrook declared during media day, clearly signaling that he now ranks Jokic’s play above that of other NBA stars, including LeBron James.
The statement may raise eyebrows, especially considering Westbrook was a Laker as recently as last season, teaming up with James in Los Angeles from 2021 to 2023. However, Westbrook’s time with the Lakers did not go as expected, as the team failed to make the playoffs in the 2021-22 season.
Westbrook’s record in jeopardy with Jokic?
Russell Westbrook is the NBA‘s all-time leader in triple-doubles. From his first season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008 to the present, he has tallied 199 triple-doubles, and this year he could become the first player in history to reach 200. Further back on the list are Oscar Robertson (181) and Magic Johnson (138).
But it’s a current teammate who poses the greatest threat to his record: the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic is the active player closest to chasing down Westbrook with 130 triple-doubles since 2015, the year he joined the NBA from Serbia’s Mega Basket.
While their rivalry for the record could become a major storyline this season, Westbrook downplayed any sense of competition between the two. “I don’t know if there’s a race or not, but we have not talked about it at all,” Westbrook told reporters. “All we care about, and he would tell you the same, is winning basketball games.”
Nuggets ready to tip off the season
The Denver Nuggets are set to kick off their preseason schedule this Friday, October 4, against the Boston Celtics, a team they’ll meet again two days later. Following those matchups, Denver will face the Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves before opening their regular season at home on October 24 against the Thunder.