National Basketball Association

Knicks: Mindaugas Kuzminskas Works Out With Russell Westbrook

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

New York Knicks rookie Mindaugas Kuzminskas has a surprising training partner: Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook.

No team enjoyed the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil more than the New York Knicks. Carmelo Anthony won a gold medal, Willy Hernangomez won a bronze, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas put on a show with Lithuania.

Though Kuzminskas didn’t win an Olympic medal, he appears to have achieved enough notoriety to be working out with an NBA superstar.

Kuzminskas broke out at the Olympics with 23 points in 27 minutes against an Argentina team that was flush with former and current NBA players. He then scored 17 points in 27 minutes against Spain, which had a surplus of NBA-caliber talent.

Kuzminskas’ success overseas has put him in contact with the right individuals. His most recent training partner was none other than Russell Westbrook.

After today's workout with @russwest44 :)! Have a good weekend, people! pic.twitter.com/VDs0Z8sFyR

— Mindaugas Kuzminskas (@MKuzminskas) September 9, 2016

That’s not a photoshop or a typo; Kuzminskas was working out with Russell Westbrook.

In case you’ve been living under the rock known as blind Kevin Durant hate or fandom, Westbrook is a genuine NBA superstar. He’s helped the Oklahoma City Thunder yield a steady stream of contenders, including the 2011-12 team that reached the NBA Finals.

That includes this past year, when Westbrook averaged 26.0 points, 11.0 assists, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.6 steals during OKC’s run to the Western Conference Finals.

Whether Westbrook is helping Kuzminskas physically or with his skill set, the Knicks should be grateful. He’s one of the most explosive athletes in NBA history, led the league in scoring in 2014-15, and has been Top 5 in assists in consecutive seasons.

Kuzminskas, meanwhile, is athletic for his size as a near 6’10” forward who can get into the paint and finish above the rim.

Having worked out with Westbrook, Kuzminskas just got a crash course on how athletic NBA players can be. Westbrook is the most extreme example, but Kuz plays a position where he may have to guard players like Durant, Paul George, and LeBron James.

Though this workout doesn’t guarantee his success, the fact that Kuzminskas is linking up with NBA players this early in his career is a promising sign.