NEW YORK, June 25, 2008 -- UCLA guard Russell Westbrook led a Final Four team with 4.3 assists per game and even started nine games at the point while Darren Collison was injured. But because Westbrook played mostly off the ball, teams are trying to determine how well Westbrook will be able to handle the responsibilities of leading a team full time.

If Wednesday's NBA Draft media day is any indication, he's savvy enough off the court to play the part. Pondering which player he would draft No. 1 overall, were he not an option, Westbrook dropped a dime into a teammate's pocket:

"You could take Kevin (Love), if you wanted," Westbrook said. "Kevin brings a lot to the table. You never know. It all depends on what type of player you want, the personnel on the floor. You want good players on your team. At that particular spot, it's a need thing."

Teams need floor generals, and Westbrook has rocketed up draft boards with every workout. After Derrick Rose, there once followed a clear second tier of combo guards: O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless and Eric Gordon. But Westbrook has firmly enmeshed himself in that group -- and potentially surpassed it -- earning projections as high as No. 4 (Seattle) on various mock drafts.

It's a familiar spot for the California native, who was lightly recruited out of high school (Leuzinger HS in Lawndale). He snagged a scholarship to UCLA, but couldn't crack Ben Howland's regular rotation as a freshman and averaged only nine minutes a game. Westbrook kept working, and by the start of his sophomore season, slotted in for the injured Collison before joining him to form one of the NCAA's most dynamic backcourts.

"Nobody knew who I was," Westbrook said. "I like it like that. I don't need all the attention. I just keep working hard, underground, and sooner or later it pays off."

It pays off the most on defense, where Westbrook tormented opposing guards with play so intense it turned stats into stone. He won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award in his first season as a starter, averaging 1.6 steals per game. He's rightfully proud of his defense, which he says has always been a passion.

"It's me taking it personal," Westbrook said. "Somebody scoring on me, that's like me losing the game. I've got to stop my man or help my teammates on the defensive end anyway I can to stop the other team from scoring."

But with all the focus on how well he harasses other players, Westbrook believes teams are in for a surprise when it comes to his shooting. He shot .465 from the floor as a sophomore, averaging 12.7 points per game, and showed a developing three-pointer: he sank 26-of-77 attempts (.338).

He also displayed an ability to produce offense in big games, scoring 17 points on 7-11 shooting against Xavier during the NCAA Tournament's Regional Final, before leading the Bruins with 22 points (10-19 FGs) in their Final Four loss to Memphis. In that game, Westbrook was the only UCLA player to shoot better than 50 percent from the floor.

For those worried about his decision-making ability, Westbrook racked up at least five assists in all but one of the nine games he played point. Even as the off-guard, he managed another 11 games dishing out five or more. He knows he must continue to improve all aspects of his game, but he's confident he'll adjust to the challenge of NBA basketball.

"I've been playing point all my life, I just played less of it in college," Westbrook said. "Everybody's got their own opinion, but I'm going to have to play point at the next level ... and I'm going to be ready to play point at the next level."