Russell Westbrook Named NBA Live 16 Cover Athlete

Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook did just about everything for his team during the 2014-15 NBA season. He wasn't able to lead them to the postseason, but his efforts haven't gone unnoticed. On Tuesday, EA Sports announced that Westbrook would grace the cover of NBA Live 16. The game will be available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.  

Westbrook tweeted out the image of the cover along with a message once the announcement was made official:

EA Sports also sent out a teaser video: 

Per a press release provided to Bleacher Report, EA Sports VP of Marketing Anthony Stevenson said:

"

[Russell] Westbrook is a player who can do it all, and we can't imagine a better fit for the cover of NBA Live 16. NBA Live 16 is all about self-expression, and who better embodies that than Westbrook, both on and off the court? Russell plays every game like he has something to prove. Our team is building NBA Live the exact same way, so we're thrilled to have him as an ambassador for our game.

"

During the 2014-15 season, Westbrook led the NBA in scoring at 28.1 points per game. He proved to be a stat-sheet stuffer as he also tallied 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Westbrook was a nightly threat to record a triple-double and was one of the most exciting performers in the league.

As you can see from Stevenson's quote, Westbrook was chosen as much for his colorful style off of the court as he was for his accomplishments on the hardwood.

Known for his attention-grabbing fashion statements, Westbrook's arena entrances have become regular attractions during the Thunder's national television broadcasts. This recent tweet from Westbrook with the hashtag #fashionking is an example.

You can also tell from Stevenson's quote that the NBA Live series is continuing to embrace its role as the underdog in the cyber hoops rivalry with the NBA 2K series. While NBA 2K continues to be the top-selling video game series—regardless of genre—NBA Live has steadily improved its product.

It's clear EA Sports wants to approach this year's project in the same manner in which Westbrook attacks the rim when he's soaring in for one of his patented slams.

There's no doubt Westbrook is a sensible choice for the cover, but his association is only part of the company's desired turnaround. Once we begin to see more graphics, gameplay and features, we'll know for sure whether NBA Live 16 is a real player in the upcoming virtual hoops season.

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