NBA No. 0 God List: Westbrook is crazy, Lillard is tough, this "agent" is the first generation legend

When it comes to No. 0 in the NBA, many fans first think of Westbrook's triple-double frenzy, or Lillard's cold-blooded countdown kills. However, before these juniors, there was a "No. 0 agent" who had written the counterattack story of this number into his DNA. He was Gilbert Arenas. To talk about the strongest No. 0, we have to go back in time and see how powerful the legendary No. 0 is in different eras.

Arenas' No. 0 is the edge that grew out of being "scorned". When he was selected No. 0 at the University of Arizona, it was because scouts and coaches thought his playing time would be "0"; before the 2001 draft, he spent $40,000 on a gold chain, convinced that he could make the top ten. However, he waited until the 31st pick in the second round to be picked up by the Warriors, and he was so angry that he lost the gold chain on the spot. After the rookie's salary is spent, he can only sleep in the arena and live on $500 a week. But it was this anger that was stepped on that allowed him to thrive in the Warriors - he firmly became the starter at the end of his rookie season, averaged 18.3 points per game in his second season and became the Most Improved Player, and scored 41 points in Jordan's last visit. The most classic game was against the Lakers in 2006. He hit the buzzer beater 0.9 seconds before the end. Before the ball was scored, he turned around and opened his arms to celebrate. The arrogance of "I knew I would score" is the aura that No. 0 should have. Three-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA player, from undrafted to leader of the Wizards, Arenas' No. 0 is synonymous with "slapping doubters in the face." This ferocious counterattack is rarely seen among subsequent No. 0 players.

If Arenas’ No. 0 is the sharp edge of counterattack, then Westbrook’s No. 0 is the totem of violent aesthetics. When he changed to No. 0, he said he was "starting from scratch", but he changed "0" to "infinite possibilities". He averaged a triple-double per game for three consecutive seasons, the only one in history; he had 42 triple-doubles in a single season, surpassing Oscar Robertson's record; his dunks made the rim buzz, and when he fell to the ground to save the ball, he even scratched the floor. Westbrook's No. 0 has never been about exquisite technical skills, but the brute strength of "I can't help it." He has had three knee surgeries, but he still runs rampant on the court; he joined the Lakers at the age of 34, and he can still grab rebounds at critical moments and push for fast-break kills. Hidden in his No. 0 is the belief of "why not". Even if his efficiency is criticized, even if he is said to be "swiping data," this hard work of treating every game as the last is another interpretation of the No. 0 spirit.

Westbrook's madness is his drive, while Lillard's No. 0 hides the calmness of a "killer". He wore No. 0 in college for a simple reason: "It means I started from scratch from the bottom of Oakland." After entering the NBA, this "from zero to top" energy turned into a big heart - in the 2019 playoffs, when he beat the Thunder at the buzzer, the scene of him turning around and leaving the field early became a cold footnote to player No. 0; in 2023, against the Rockets, he made a long three-pointer against the defense in the last 1.7 seconds, telling you with actions that "Lillard time" is never late. Lillard's No. 0 doesn't have Westbrook's violence or Arenas' flamboyance, but it has more of a "killing heart" calmness. He is more like an agent who uses his No. 0 jersey as a sniper rifle. He is usually silent, but once he aims at the basket, it is a fatal blow.

So who is the “strongest No. 0”? Arenas' counterattack is the original intention of No. 0, Westbrook's hard work is the passion of No. 0, and Lillard's cold-bloodedness is the edge of No. 0. They have lived "Zero" in different ways in different eras. Everyone has their own preferences. Some people love Arenas's unruliness, some admire Westbrook's tenacity, and some are fascinated by Lillard's calmness. This is the charm of NBA number legends.