Patience during rookie season pays off for Westbrook

Russell Westbrook was good enough to become the No. 4 selection in the NBA Draft after his sophomore season at UCLA ended with his second straight trip to the Final Four. Surprisingly, when he arrived in Oklahoma City, he wasn't one of the starting five for the Thunder.

The 6-foot-3, 187-pound Westbrook bided his time, finally breaking into the starting lineup 17 games into his rookie year, exactly one month after his NBA debut. When Westbrook made his first start, Oklahoma City was 1-16. After Westbrook made his first start, Oklahoma City was 2-16.

Now owning a record of 13-40, the Thunder are hardly world beaters, but Westbrook has given his Midwest fan base a reason for hope. He is refining his game day by day, sort of how in the early episodes of Seinfeld, the show got better by featuring more Kramer and casting Jerry a funnier dad.

I caught up with Westbrook, a burgeoning Rookie of the Year candidate, before the Thunder played the Lakers on Tuesday:

NBA.com: If you have to choose one rookie to watch on League Pass on an off night other than yourself, who are you tuning in to?

Westbrook: Luc (Mbah a Moute) or Kevin (Love).

NBA.com: You have to choose one.

Westbrook: I can't choose one. Otherwise the other one will be mad.

NBA.com: So, Wolves vs. Bucks, you'll find that game?

Westbrook: Yup. Wolves vs. Bucks, how about that? I'll find that one.

NBA.com: The Rookie of the Year award, is that something that enters your mind?

Westbrook: I try not to think about it. I try just to continue to play and get better.

NBA.com: You're sitting next to a guy that has one of those in Kevin Durant, has he ever shown it to you? Where does he keep it?

Westbrook: I've seen it. I guess he has a trophy place?

(Durant: I don't even know where it is.)

Westbrook: I've seen it before but I haven't seen it in a while.

NBA.com: Since you came into the league, you started off coming off the bench and now have a starting role, has there been one thing that has helped your confidence?

Westbrook: Starting off on the bench, you get to watch the game and learn from things that are going on throughout the game and I just try to get in the game and whenever I get my opportunities try to expand and try to get better.

NBA.com: You had a defensive reputation at UCLA, but you've had some 30-point games this year. Where did that come from?

Westbrook: It didn't come from anywhere, I just tried to go out and give my best effort and give it 110 percent and continue to play hard.

NBA.com: What are your thoughts about the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge?

Westbrook: This is my first [All-Star weekend] and I'm just going to take it all in and enjoy it and get prepared for the second half of the season.

Korleone Young Drop of the Week: J. Thompson SAC (-2)

Eddie Gottlieb Rise of the Week: M. Chalmers MIA (+2)

1. O.J. Mayo, G, Memphis G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 51 37.9 19.4 4.3 2.8 1.1 0.1 .445 .385 .872 Last Week: 1 | Drafted: 3 The Grizz won three of four games last week, beating three teams that were in the playoffs last season (Houston, Toronto, New Orleans) and losing to the Clippers (weird). Mayo was the lynchpin during Memphis' tear, coming within one point of his career high with 32 points against the Rockets and setting a career high by stretching out his 6-4 frame to collect 16 rebounds against the Hornets.

2. Derrick Rose, G, Chicago G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 52 36.8 16.9 3.6 6.3 0.8 0.2 .472 .263 .784 Last Week: 2 | Drafted: 1 The margin between Mayo and Rose up top is as thin as Adrian Brody. Rose scored 21, 22 and 23 points in consecutive games last week and the Bulls won two of them. If Rose can continue the trend, Rose will finish the season scoring 50 points or more in four straight games, culminating in 54 against Toronto in the season finale.

3. Russell Westbrook, G, Oklahoma City G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 52 31.6 14.9 4.5 4.9 1.4 0.2 .409 .296 .803 Last Week: 3 | Drafted: 4 When I was talking to Westbrook for the interview above, his teammate Kevin Durant chimed in. "Don't talk to him, he hasn't put you No. 1 yet. He did the same thing to me last year." Durant was joking and allowed the interview to proceed after getting in the jab. I told him that he deserved to be No. 2 to the Hawks' Al Horford when he hit a lull last winter. Then I said the Rookie Rankings only motivated him to raise his level of play in March and April to secure the top spot. Don't know if KD bought the motivation explanation, but at least he's reading.

4. Brook Lopez, C, New Jersey G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 53 29.9 12.3 8.1 0.8 0.5 1.9 .508 .000 .814 Last Week: 4 | Drafted: 10 It wasn't quite Ron Artest applying to an electronics store as a rookie because he wanted to make some extra dough during his down time, but Lopez going to a comic book convention while wearing a Green Lantern t-shirt is almost equal on the "Dude, Don't You Realize You're In the NBA Now?" scale. On the court Lopez was his consistent self, running his double-digit scoring streak to nine games.

5. Eric Gordon, G, L.A. Clippers G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 52 32.8 14.4 2.4 2.5 1.0 0.4 .440 .368 .870 Last Week: 5 | Drafted: 7 With Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and Zach Randolph back in the lineup, Gordon's shot attempts have taken a hit, but his shooting percentage hasn't. Gordon shot 22-for-43 (51 percent) in four games last week and the rookie out of Indiana experienced a two-game winning streak for just his second time as a pro.

6. Michael Beasley, F, Miami G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 50 24.2 13.2 5.2 0.9 0.5 0.5 .447 .370 .765 Last Week: 6 | Drafted: 2 Beasley shot just 4-for-13 in his last two games right around the same time his name started to surface in trade rumors involving both Jermaine O'Neal and the Raptors and Amar'e Stoudemire and the Suns. It's been a roller coaster season for the No. 2 pick.

7. Mario Chalmers, G, Miami G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 51 31.5 10.1 2.6 4.8 1.9 0.1 .427 .379 0.733 Last Week: 9 | Drafted: 34 Chalmers filled the box score with 16 points, 13 assists and two steals against fellow rookie guard D.J. Augustin who scored 27 points for the Bobcats, but the Heat got the win and Chalmers moves up the list.

8. Marc Gasol, C, Memphis G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 51 30.1 11.0 7.1 1.6 0.8 1.0 .520 .000 .709 Last Week: 7 | Drafted: 48 by L.A. Lakers in 2007 Gasol is proving that he can be a reliable No. 4 or No. 5 option night in and night out and there's nothing wrong with that. He knows how to make his 7-1, 265-pound body make its presence known on the court and he has the hands to finish around the rim. His teammate Mayo might turn out to be the star, but don't forget, the league needs to be replenished with role players by the rookie class every year too.

9. Kevin Love, F, Minnesota G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 51 23.8 9.4 8.7 1.2 0.4 0.6 .451 .143 .775 Last Week: 10 | Drafted: 5 Love had three double-doubles in four games last week and the Timberwolves will rely upon that level of play from their 6-10, 260-pound rookie the rest of the way as Minnesota tries to fill the Dodge Durango-sized absence in the lineup caused by Al Jefferson's torn ACL.

10. Jason Thompson, F, Sacramento G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 53 26.3 10.4 6.8 1.1 0.6 0.6 .498 .000 .718 Last Week: 8 | Drafted: 12 Thompson drops back to the ledge of the Top 10 after fouling out against Utah and then racking up seven more whistles and shooting just 5-for-13 from the field in two losses to the Thunder and the Mavericks.

The Next 10 (alphabetical order): Ryan Anderson (NJN), D.J. Augustin (CHA), Rudy Fernandez (POR), Roy Hibbert (IND), George Hill (SAS), Courtney Lee (ORL), Luc Mbah a Moute (MIL), JaVale McGee (WAS), Greg Oden (POR), Marreese Speights (PHI)

Noteworthy Oden Greg Oden (POR) continues to knock on the door for the Top 10, but by the time the Rookie Rankings are there to answer on Wednesday, he disappears. His Line of the Week (above) against the Knicks was impressive, but his 10 points, six rebounds and six fouls combined in his previous two games against Dallas and Oklahoma City was equally unimpressive. Message boards can keep taking me to task, but his resume doesn't stack up favorably head-to-head against any of the 10 guys in front of him this week. Ryan Anderson (NJN) scored 31 points in two Nets wins last week and just eight points in two Nets losses. The team is starting to rely on his contributions. Marreese Speights (PHI) is doing his best to fill the void left by Elton Brand's season-ending shoulder surgery, averaging 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the Sixers last two games - both wins - against the Heat and Suns. Kyle Weaver (OKC) is starting for the Thunder and scored a season-high 11 points against the Lakers on Tuesday, matched up with Kobe Bryant for much of the game. JaVale McGee (WAS) continued his solid play of late, with 10 points against the Nets, 13 points against the Nuggets and 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Hawks last week. Anthony Morrow (GSW) has fallen completely out of Don Nelson's rotation, playing just seven minutes and scoring zero points over the Warriors' last three games. Courtney Lee (ORL) was the latest rookie to prove that the Clippers aren't good, but they're good for something as I wrote last week. Lee went 9-for-10 and scored 21 points in a rout of the Clips on Wednesday. The HNPAMY (Have Not Played A Minute Yet) Club: J.R. Giddens (BOS), D.J. White (OKC) * = assigned to D-League D-League Watch: Darnell Jackson was assigned to the Erie BayHawks by Cleveland and then recalled the next day; Trey Johnson was called up from the Bakersfield Jam by Cleveland; Cartier Martin was called up from the Iowa Energy by Charlotte; J.R. Giddens was re-assigned to the Utah Flash by Boston