5 Coolest Players in the NBA
What defines "cool"? As is the case in real life, in basketball terminology the definition is fluid.
For the purposes of this slideshow, we're going to use a combination of on-court play, clutch moments, charisma and off-court swagger to break down five of the coolest players doing their things in the NBA.
Ultimately, these players are trendsetters. What they do on the court and off it is equally important.
Have they changed the game of basketball? Have they built an unmistakable brand?
Using statistics, endorsements and more, let's acknowledge five of the coolest players in professional basketball.
Russell Westbrook
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Oklahoma City Thunder standout Russell Westbrook has defied the logistics of the point guard position. The 6'3", 200-pound guard is a handful to deal with.
Speaking on The Dan Le Batard Show (h/t ForwardCenter.net), Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard said Westbrook is the most difficult point guard in the league to defend.
And why wouldn't he be? As the stat sheet shows, his size, capacity to attack the rim and freakish athleticism make him nearly impossible to contain. On the year, he's averaging 26.2 points, 7.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Beautiful numbers like that give Thunder fans a reason to cheer, but where Russ really shines is in the arena of advanced metrics. ESPN's Hollinger's ratings (Insider subscription required) currently have Westbrook as the second-most efficient player in the league.
His player efficiency rating of 29.59 is effervescent.
Westbrook's cool factor doesn't stop on the court. Off it, he's turned into a fashion lord who's landed big-time sponsorships with marquee brands like Nike's Jordan label.
With the launch of his sunglasses line—Westbrook Frames—it's apparent that No. 0's brand is growing by leaps and bounds.
Cut it up anyway you'd like. The fact is that Westbrook is a true basketball outlaw playing in a rowdy Western Conference. The better he gets, the cooler he becomes.
Damian Lillard
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Ever since Gilbert Arenas made it popular, any point guard who sports the No. 0 automatically garners a lot of attention. The Portland Trail Blazers got a good No. 0 when they drafted Damian Lillard in 2012.
Lillard took home Rookie of the Year honors his first season in the league, and since that point he's only improved. He's now not only one of the most clutch shooters in the NBA but also one the top guards overall. Bryan Renzi of BlazersEdge.com constructed a must-read piece to figure out if Lillard was in fact the top clutch player in the league.
The 24-year-old certainly has ice water flowing through his veins and has proven it with all of the big shots he's hit since joining the Blazers organization.
Aside from his antics on the court, this calendar year is set to be a special for Lilliard. His debut signature shoe—the DLillard 1—is scheduled for release courtesy of Adidas—he revealed the kicks to the public on his Instagram account.
We talk about trendsetters defining the word "cool." Lillard's clutch factor, sponsorships and leadership are enough to carry a city on his back. He's become a major trendsetter for the Adidas brand and for the Trail Blazers' franchise.
LeBron James
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There's no one like LeBron James in the NBA right now from a trendsetting angle.
James is the game's biggest star. Whether he's with the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Miami Heat, his jersey is always is a top seller.
There hasn't been a star as big as James since Michael Jordan was in the league. Like MJ, he's produced some of the best performance basketball shoes we've ever seen, and his pop culture presence is heavy.
James is the ultimate brand and is able to bring it to the masses. With 17.9 million Twitter and 8.1 million Instagram followers, he's become an advertiser's dream.
We know what to expect from the King on the court; he's consistent with his numbers. What separates him from the rest of his peers is the fact that he can do it all. Reminiscent of Magic Johnson, James' well-rounded game isn't predicated on scoring.
Not to be outdone by his basketball skill set, James is also one of the most fashionable athletes around. He's been a staple of GQ's pages.
When you put everything together, what you get is the most influential player in the sport. That influence is also what makes him so cool.
Kobe Bryant
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Kobe Bryant is a crossover star. He's won on the court and managed to plant his flag in the world of popular culture.
Whenever you draw comparisons to Michael Jordan, cool comes along with the territory. Mike was the greatest, so that's the ultimate compliment.
Bryant's accomplished a lot over his career. He's got five NBA titles, one MVP award and will be remembered as perhaps the greatest player in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers.
His cool isn't strictly limited to his championship rings and tranquil jumper. The Lakers captain also has an estimated $31 million in endorsements deals, according to Forbes.
NBA players would dream to have Bryant's career. The man is a championship-caliber guard who has spent his entire tenure with one storied franchise. From his dealings with Nike to his business ventures with companies like BodyArmor, Bryant is all about opportunity these days.
Like some of the other guys featured here, Bryant's fashion game is also quite robust. He's another frequent presence in GQ.
Bryant's entrepreneurial spirit can't be denied. He's taken all that basketball has to offer and turned it into something noteworthy.
James Harden
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This season it's been James Harden's world, and the rest of us are simply living in it.
Currently, Harden is scoring at a feverish pace. His 26.8 points per game lead the NBA. On top of that, he's also done a nice job getting his teammates involved, dishing out 6.6 assists per contest.
The thing that makes the bearded one so cool is that he could very well be the future of basketball. Grantland's Kirk Goldsberry broached that subject during his extravagant feature on Harden.
"Symbolically, Harden might be the most important player in the world. He’s a manifestation of the current trends in offensive basketball," Goldsberry said.
We've talked about trendsetters ad nauseam in this piece, but none of those guys on the court are quite like Harden. He's an analytical dream, a player whose skill set perfectly fits the changing winds of the professional game.
Being an innovator is cool. Jordan was an innovator; Hakeem Olajuwon was one, and so is LeBron James. We aren't saying Harden is near that level right now, but what he's doing is changing how people think about basketball.
Harden is constructing his own brand thanks to endorsements from Nike, Foot Locker and other companies. All of those feats go hand-in-hand with what he's doing for the Rockets.
Unless noted otherwise, all game scores, stats and information come courtesy of ESPN.com.
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