Is there any potential in Russell Westbrook playing as a power forward?

To be frank, my first thought—and that of many others—when seeing the Kings slot Westbrook at power forward was that the team must be crazy. Their starting lineup featured four guards in name: Schröder, LaVine, DeRozan, and Westbrook.

It was already quite unusual for DeRozan, a former shooting guard, to play power forward with the Spurs, and now Westbrook, traditionally a point guard, was starting at power forward for the Kings. And guess what? He’s actually doing quite well.

In the six games before facing the Thunder today, Westbrook averaged 17.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, shooting 48.1% from the field, 45.5% from three, and 73.7% from the free-throw line. Even for a legitimate power forward, averaging 8 rebounds per game is an impressive stat.

It’s worth mentioning that Westbrook has previously filled in as a small-ball center during his time with the Clippers. Whether at power forward or center, the main reason he can cover the frontcourt is his strong rebounding ability.

At his peak, Westbrook was the best rebounding guard in the entire league, without question. His rebounding instincts, positioning, core strength and physicality in the air, as well as his judgment of where the ball would come down, were all elite. That’s why he could grab so many rebounds despite being only 1.93 meters tall.

Now that he’s older and his explosiveness has naturally declined, his strength for positioning remains, and his awareness for crashing boards is still good, as he averages nearly 2 offensive rebounds per game. The Knicks’ 1.96-meter Hart is currently one of the best small forwards in the league, and if Westbrook focused on doing Hart’s role, he could still be very effective.

But after all, this is Westbrook. Limiting him to a purely functional role would be too simplistic. So in the starting lineup, Westbrook still takes on the ball-handling and playmaking duties. When Schröder is off the floor, Westbrook becomes the Kings’ primary ball handler.

In today’s game against the Thunder, Westbrook didn’t record any assists in the first quarter but scored 11 points and grabbed 2 rebounds, hitting 3 of 4 three-pointers. In the second quarter, while Schröder was off the floor and Westbrook was running the offense, he dished out 7 assists, proving his passing skills remain top-notch. Plus, his teammates now have solid scoring ability, so Westbrook’s passes often convert into points.

In the previous game against the Warriors, Westbrook shot 9-for-13 with 3-for-4 from three, recording a 23-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. This marked his 204th career triple-double, extending his record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history. At the same time, Westbrook officially surpassed Jason Kidd to become the NBA’s all-time leader in rebounds among guards.

It’s hard to imagine a player like this almost couldn’t find a job before the season started. During the past offseason, Westbrook received many unfair and contradictory critiques that severely undervalued his true ability. While it’s true he’s not the player he once was, the idea that he couldn’t find any team at all is simply nonsense.

The Kings signed Westbrook to a non-guaranteed minimum contract, and he has repaid them with value far beyond that salary. Today, Westbrook played the most minutes on the team with 30, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and 5-for-9 from three, finishing with a team-high 24 points, along with 6 rebounds and 9 assists. This marks Westbrook’s third consecutive 20+ point game, something he hadn’t done since January 2023 with the Lakers.

I’m not surprised that Westbrook can handle playing power forward, nor that he can still achieve triple-doubles. What’s most surprising this season is his three-point accuracy. In nine games so far, Westbrook has shot 45.6% from beyond the arc, with a sizable sample of 46 attempts.

In most games this season, Westbrook’s three-point shooting has been solid. You can subtly notice that he has increased his shooting arc. During the offseason, when he was without a team, Westbrook spent a lot of time in the gym, and this early-season shooting precision reflects the hard work he put in.

It’s quite possible we’ll see Westbrook set a new personal record for three-point shooting percentage in his 18th NBA season. Like many veterans entering their 18th season, Westbrook has never surrendered to time. More than that, he has never compromised on anything.

Those who said he couldn’t find a job or that he was done in the NBA can now be silenced. When the entire league was about to give up on him, he bet everything and gave his all.

When he returns to being himself, he can still make a thunderous impact.