Analytical Essay: The Life Of Russell Westbrook

Kevin’s humble beginnings begin at the University of Texas, where he made his staple as a longhorn.

Most people know him as an 11 time NBA Champion, 5 time MVP, 12-time All-Star and he were the centerpieces of the Celtics dynasty during his 13-year career. Bill Russell ended up as the most successful player in the history of the NBA and formed the centerpiece of the greatest dynasty in the history of the league. For his accomplishments in the Civil Rights Movement on and off the court, Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. Bill was outstanding at everything he ever put his mind to. For all that he accomplished on and off the field, Bill Russell is definitely one of the all-time great players of Basketball.

This & That/Compare & Contrast Essay Dell Curry is Stephen Curry’s dad but there is a lot of things that are different about them and a lot of things that are the same. Stephen Curry plays for the Golden State Warriors.

Russell Westbrook is a point guard, who has been playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was born on November 12, 1988 and is currently 27. Russell is a very quick, and explosive player, he loves to attack the rim. He's also a great shooter, he leads the NBA with tripe doubles. A triple double, is when you get 3 double digit stats. Russell gets assists, rebounds, and points. He's a 5 time NBA all star, 2 time NBA all star MVP , NBA scoring champion and he made the NBA All-Rookie team. In 2012 he made the NBA championship game, and played against the Miami Heat. They lost and Lebron James won MVP.

After enrolling at Baylor he tried out for the football team as a running back. Westbrook ended up getting a scholarship to play football at Baylor. Despite the cruel and harsh

Drafted by the NBA at the age of 19, many critics wondered if he would last. Not many kids know how to handle fame, most end up on the never-ending road of drugs and rehab...a cycle that never ends.

Indiana loves its basketball. When driving throughout the state, basketball hoops are part of the scenery, dotting thousands of barn doors, garage doors, and driveways along the way. Hoosiers are passionate about this sport. In the book, Drive the Story of my Life, by Larry Bird with Bob Ryan, talks about his life growing up in Indiana and his storied career as a basketball player. Bird was born into a hard-working, lower class family in West Baden Springs, Indiana. Throughout his life Larry Bird was fueled by hard work and perseverance to become one of the greatest basketball players of our time.

Lew attended Power Memorial High School. Newspapers from all over the country started writing about the 6 foot 11 Alcindor. At the age of 15 he met Wilt Chamberlain, the best basketball player in the world at the time. In his last two years of High School, his school's basketball team had the best record in the United States. His school grades were great, and he had the opportunity to attend college wherever he wanted. The impact he made on society was that hard work will eventually pay off.

Ever since Kevin Garnett, a teenager who by-passed college, was drafted as the fifth overall pick in the 1995 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft, more and more high school teenagers have been making the jump straight to the pros. Since the league draft of 1995, 17 first round picks have been high school players. This means that about 7 percent of first round draft picks in the NBA have been high school teens skipping out on their college education to make the jump to the NBA (Chylinski).

When people think of NBA (National Basketball Association) greats many names come to mind like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Lebron James, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. But one name tops this list and that name is Michael Jordan. His skills are extraordinary with a unique style NBA fans have ever seen. He was and all-around legend who could score without giving any effort. He is the best defensive guard to walk the earth he has the best on-ball defense forcing steals and blocking people's shots with skills like this no doubt he's the Greatest of All-Time.

As a result or his hard work, "he finally earned his berth on the varsity squad and--with his burning ambitions in tow--he became one of the most widely-recruited high school athletes in the country ("Michael Jordan")." During the summer before Jordan's senior year, he attended the Five-Star Basketball Camp. There he met Dean Smith, the coach of the University of North Carolina's Tar Heels. Smith encouraged Jordan to come to the school. A few months later Jordan signed his letter of intent and received a full scholarship. The Tar Heels had an outstanding season and went on to play in the NCAA championship against Georgetown University. Jordan hit the game winning shot making his name know around the country. For the next two seasons, He averaged a reputable 17.7 points per game. In 1984, Jordan traveled to Los Angeles to compete with the U.S. Olympic basketball team. With Jordan's help, the team won a gold medal. Soon after Jordan entered the NBA draft and was picked third by the Chicago Bulls. The bulls were the laughing stock of the NBA, but that would soon be changed (Mattern 82-28).

Ten players that went to the NBA after never going to college made the all-star team and All NBA team which means they were one of the top three players in the league at their position. There have been 59 players that went to the NBA without going to college; four of those players were unsuccessful in the NBA meaning that they never got to play any games because they were not ready to play basketball professionally. There has been three high school draftees selected in the draft with the number one pick. They are Kwame Brown, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard. LeBron James and Dwight Howard were both selected to an All-NBA team and the all-star team, and are very successful players, however the other number one pick in the draft, Kwame Brown has played for about 10 different NBA teams all giving him a chance to prove his talent but failing, and now Kwame is just over 30 years old and has been one of the worst number one picks in the NBA draft ever.

Jordan sought a new challenge to play professional baseball. He signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He was assigned to the Birmingham Barons, and played an outfielder position. His presence in the minors grew large numbers in attendance, but Jordan's batting was uncharacteristic of his athletic skills. In his first summer with the Barons, he batted .202 with 114 strikeouts in 127 games.

As it stands today, Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player to have ever played the game. Some argue that Michael Jordan was better, but he was not. Some argue that Lebron James is better, but he is not. To compare him to the men who played the center position is a waste of time. Obviously Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar were more dominant. They were freaks of nature. What Kobe had that set him apart from everyone else was a skill set and mentality that is unmatched. Kobe is the best player first and foremost because he was a Los Angeles Laker for twenty years. Some may say that my bias towards Kobe as a Laker fan discredits my argument, but it does not.

Within Hollywood’s movies depiction of drug addiction, many have failed to represent all true aspects that come along with such lifestyles. The movie, The Basketball Diaries, is based off a novel Jim Carroll wrote from his own diary entries. As a teenager growing up in the sixties, Carroll reveals his progression of drug abuse which eventually leads him addicted to heroin.Heroin is a white powder derived from morphine found in opium. It is commonly prescribed as a painkiller, but is also a popular street drug.The director casted Leonardo DiCaprio as Jimmy, and concentrates on creating the character as a stereotypical drug abuser. DiCaprio’s most captivating scene is when he is going through heroin