Isaiah Thomas battled many NBA superstars during his career, but one of them was more difficult than the rest.
When asked about who was the toughest player to guard, Thomas had a clear and quick answer: Russell Westbrook during his stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“The hardest to guard, I would say, OKC Russell Westbrook. It’s hard to guard Steph, Kyrie, all those type of guys. When Russell Westbrook was in OKC, that was probably the most difficult player I had to guard,” Thomas said.
Isaiah Thomas says prime Russell Westbrook was a tougher cover than Steph and Kyrie 👀
(via @TheWestbrookEra)pic.twitter.com/EvPzM6U7bC
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 11, 2025
Some younger fans may have forgotten, but Westbrook in OKC was a very challenging, often unstoppable force of nature who could score on just about anyone.
During his 11 seasons with the team, he averaged 23.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.4 assists.
He put up powerful numbers night after night, but it was his energy and his nonstop motor that really set him apart from everyone else.
Thomas saw that regularly, and he learned just how tricky Westbrook was and how he could move past his opponents and find multiple ways to score.
In the years since his run with the Thunder, Westbrook has played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, and the Denver Nuggets.
He’s currently without an NBA home, but he is hoping to find his way back into the league at some point this season.
No matter what happens, Thomas and many others will forever look back fondly at Westbrook’s tenure in Oklahoma City.
He was a sensational and powerful star and worthy of the MVP trophy he earned in 2016-17.
A lot has changed since then, but nothing can affect that.
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