Russell Westbrook is one of the most accomplished players to ever play in the NBA.
The nine-time All-Star is the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles and just recently scored his 24,000th point.
Westbrook is now closing in on another remarkable milestone, as he is just 12 assists away from passing Hall of Famer Gary Payton on the NBA’s all-time assists list.
Right now, he has dished out 8,955 assists over 1,067 games, while Payton finished his career with 8,966 assists over 1,335 games.
Moving ahead of Payton would place Westbrook in the top ten, which is another incredible accomplishment to add to his resume that will land him in the Hall of Fame one day.
The Lakers will play their next game Saturday night against the Boston Celtics in Massachusetts.
He is currently averaging 7.5 assists per contest, but the former UCLA star has also had 12+ assists in a game six different times this season.
Therefore, Westbrook could move into the top ten as soon as Saturday night’s game.
Following the Celtics, the Lakers will play the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Monday and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
After being a starter for his entire career, the 2017 MVP has spent most of the 2022-23 NBA season coming off the bench.
His total averages are 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 46 games (43 off the bench).
The Lakers are the 13th seed in the Western Conference with a 23-26 record in 49 games.
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