The greatest basketball player in the history of the sport had a special message for Russell Westbrook after the Oklahoma City Thunder guard was awarded the 2017 NBA MVP award Monday night.
“Congrats, Russell,” Michael Jordan wrote in a personal note to Westbrook. “I got my first MVP award before my first ring, too,” he added. “Keep going!” (RELATED: Michael Jordan Pays Russell Westbrook A HUGE Compliment)
Westbrook is one of Jordan’s many brand ambassadors in the NBA and one that Michael himself has spoken very highly of in the past. Before the Oklahoma City star even began his MVP season last fall Jordan said he reminded him of his younger self.
“The attitude, trying to prove myself, showing so much passion for the game of basketball,” are just a few similarities MJ sees between himself and the electric point guard.
“I really don’t know what to say,” Westbrook said of the compliment at the time. “To have the best player who ever played the game to say that about you as a player and as a person is something that is going to keep me striving.”
(Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
Clearly the compliment motivated the Thunder’s star player who was the undisputed leader of his team this season after Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors. Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double with 31.6 points per game, 10.4 per game and 10.7 per game on the season.
We’ll just have to wait and see how he responds to Michael Jordan’s latest encouraging message.