Russell Westbrook’s Lovely MVP Speech in New York

We’ll never know if OKC would have won the championship if Kevin Durant hadn’t left to join the Nike West Coast All-Stars. We’ll never know if Westbrook, Durant, Horford, Adams, Oladipo, and Roberson would have come back and toppled the Warriors. As an NBA fan, I’ll forever feel cheated that we didn’t get to see that scenario play itself out on a basketball court and not in a house in the Hamptons.

But life moves along and isn’t it ironic just one week removed from July 4th, 2016 — Russell Westbrook won the league’s MVP and followed it with a speech which left me in tears, albeit very good ones.

I’ve now watched Russell play and live in Oklahoma City for nine years. Each year and each season he has taken an incremental step forward as a player, and as a man as well. I used to call him Wild Thing and Bad Little Dude after some of his more exuberant moments along the journey. But as each layer has been peeled back off of Westbrook, I’ve come to admire and respect him. His parents did a great job.

Granted, he has had some moments which furrowed your brow, but when you’re a cross of Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson—you’re going to create some angst during the heated moments of high level competition.

The things Westbrook said about family truly had me crying. Your family and inner circle are everything in life. Things which transcend basketball. Things which transcend contracts and trophies.

So we’ll never know what would have happened had Durant not bailed. But you know what, as I sit here I’m starting to feel what I’ve watched the past year was actually better all things considered. I’m good. No regrets. Cup overrunneth.

Moving forward.

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