Clippers' Russell Westbrook: I Still See Myself as an 'Elite Basketball Player'

As Russell Westbrook prepares to enter his 16th season in the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers guard seems to have the same amount of energy as his early days with Oklahoma City, excited to try and lead one of the league's most talented rosters to a championship.

And while there are many prognosticators who believe Westbrook's best days are far behind him, he thinks that couldn't be further from the truth.

"I'm still fast as anybody, jump as high as anybody," Westbrook said, per the Los Angeles Times' Andrew Greif. "I still see myself as an elite basketball player."

Westbrook will be turning 35 in November and will look to keep up the production he had in the second half of the season after signing with the Clippers in February following the trade deadline.

The nine-time All-Star began last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and had his fair share of struggles, not being able to mesh with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co. He ultimately was traded to the Utah Jazz in a three-team deal but reached a buyout before signing with the Lakers' in-house rivals.

After making the switch, Westbrook shot almost seven percentage points better from the field and on three-pointers with the Clippers than with the Lakers, a huge relief for both him and the organization considering his struggles from deep.

It was in the postseason that Westbrook really had a chance to shine. Even as the Clippers suffered a first-round exit at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, he dropped 28, 30 and 37 points in the series and tried to keep his squad alive even with the absence of fellow stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Now, Westbrook is back, signing a two-year, $7.8 million deal to return to the Clippers and he couldn't be happier. His teammates are loving and feeding off the energy.

"That stuff leaks onto off the court where he's so contagious," George said. "Just the way that he values that team camaraderie, the leadership. It just means a lot."