AROUND the NBA:

[cow]

I get that this has been the narrative ever since Westbrook entered the league but I never really saw it. For a player that supposingly played hard and outworked others his defense was really bad. Especially off the ball. Gambling for rebounds instead of closing out on shooters. Unable or unwilling to chase shooters around screens.
If we are just talking about effort on defense I have Westbrook in the Harden tier.
And I guess that's something he has in common with Iverson (and many other high usage ballhandlers). In his best years Iverson was surrounded by four hard working plus defenders. Snow, McKie and Lynch on the perimeter with Mutombo and/or Ratliff in the paint. Switch hunting wasn't a thing and that allowed Iverson to gamble in passing lanes.

I'd counter that effort doesn't equate to prowess.  You can be bad at something and still give great effort.  I don't think anyone is blind to Westbrook's many flaws, but he left it all out there (good and bad).