After MVP campaign, Westbrook seeks ultimate team prize

Russell Westbrook, a singular force of nature in his historic 2016-17 campaign, now must find a way to thrive as a part of the re-balanced ecosystem of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Stung by a Western Conference finals exit in June of 2016 -- quickly followed by teammate Kevin Durant's defection to the team that ousted the Thunder, the Golden State Warriors -- Oklahoma City point guard Westbrook responded with a season for the ages. Despite the gaudy individual numbers, the Thunder finished sixth in the Western Conference standings and were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by his MVP rival, James Harden, and the Houston Rockets.