Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose (D Rose) are arguably the most athletic players in the NBA. Their explosiveness and quick movements makes them unstoppable. During their prime years—no one could stop them. They were terrific at attacking the rim, finishing with the most vicious dunks basketball has ever seen. A face-off between these two legends would be electrifying—so let’s examine each player to see who could win in a one-on-one match. 

During Russell Westbrook’s time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), he was one of the most ferocious players in the league. There was an unbelievable amount of energy stored in Russ that he still holds today; he could never get tired. Russ was always hustling on both ends of the court and played every single minute like it was his last. Westbrook in his prime was simply unfair; he averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons, a feat no one had ever accomplished. His quick first step along with his ridiculous explosiveness made him incredibly fast. Westbrook’s signature move, the “push cross,” is one that he uses almost every game to fly by a defender. The push cross is a quick change of pace that Russ is excellent at; as soon as he explodes out of the move, he goes right into a slam dunk, regardless of the defender. 

Becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history, Derrick Rose was mentally fearless. He attacked the rim relentlessly with his athletic ability, being unstoppable by even the most elite defenders. Rose had the most mind-blowing finishes around the rim: his left-hand touch was beautiful, his reverse layups were phenomenal, and his slam dunks were marvelous. Rose also had the most lethal crossovers we have ever seen; it’s what separates him from being so athletic. His speed and acceleration were mind-blowing—it was terrifying watching him power through 6’8 players easily. Derrick Rose is possibly the most athletic point guard ever; he was on track to become an NBA legend. Sadly, Rose underwent several injuries that would later result in him getting traded to multiple teams and not being able to reach his maximum potential. Regardless, Derrick Rose’s legacy in the NBA will continue to inspire millions of fans. 

Finishing

Pre-injury, Derrick Rose was one of the best dangerous finishers in the league. Despite his silence, Rose was a lethal playmaker that would let you know he can beat anybody. He could adjust to any type of finish, every dunk was empathic and nearly rim-breaking. Westbrook was very similar, except he had a ravenous mindset. Russ would fight for any rebound and would brutally attack the rim— he was simply unstoppable and a beast on the court. However, Derrick Rose’s finishing will never be topped (except by Kyrie). Rose was a masterpiece at the rim and had so much potential, that unfortunately could not be maximized. 

Defense

Defense is a major part of Westbrook’s game. He has been an amazing defender throughout his entire career with his incredible blocking ability. D Rose’s defense is underrated but is still lacking in some areas. Rose can guard almost anyone in the post; yet, we have only seen this a few times and never in close games/playoffs. Russ, on the other hand, played defense at an elite level in almost every game. Therefore, Russ is the better defender.

The Verdict

Westbrook and Rose are unique players and it’s difficult to put one over the other. However, in a 1v1, Russell Westbrook has the upper hand solely because of his great defense. As I mentioned before, D Rose only plays defense in close games so Russ will be able to score easily, giving him a higher chance of beating Rose. Both players will be constantly penetrating through each other and trying to use the smallest places to go for a layup or dunk. This one on one matchup will be very exciting, but I think Russ will be able to take the win and beat Derrick Rose. 

By Pranav Parlapall