Why Skills-First Leadership Is Replacing the Ivy League Playbook in the C-Suite
05/23/2025
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The old prestige pyramid—where Ivy League degrees and blue-chip consulting backgrounds paved the way to the CEO seat—is cracking.
August 02, 2021: -The Washington Wizards agree to send superstar Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers for three players and the number 22 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday, reported by The Athletic and ESPN.
Moreover, to the first-round pick, the Wizards received Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell, each the reports.
With the number 22 pick, Washington selected Isaiah Jackson, a shot-blocking center out of Kentucky. Still, it then traded him to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the 31st pick and point guard Aaron Holiday – brother of NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jrue.
The Wizards then selected Isaiah Todd at 31, a 19-year-old power forward who chose to forgo college and play in the G-League of NBA, where it is averaged 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds for each game for the Ignite.
The Wizards are also sending their second-round pick of 2024 and 2028 to the Lakers and Westbrook, returning to California. The Long Beach native took part in his college ball at UCLA prior to being drafted the fourth total in 2008.
Westbrook averages a triple-double in 2020-21 with 22.2 points, 11.7 assists, and 11.5 rebounds in his season with the Wizards. It was the fourth time in his career the point guard has averaged a triple-double for a season, and he currently holds the all-time triple-double record with 184, having overtaken Oscar Robertson in May.
The nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, and 2017 Most Valuable Player join LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the league’s newest ‘super team.’ He also becomes the seventh former MVP acquired by the Lakers after Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo, Karl Malone, Steve Nash, and James himself.
The Wizards get three players in return that got combined to average 36.1 points for each game in 2020-21.
Harrell was awarded Sixth Man of the Year in 2020, averaged 13.5 in his first season with the Lakers, while Kuzma on an average 12.9 and Caldwell-Pope 9.7 in their fourth seasons in L.A. All three players are still in their 20s.
Westbrook joins his third team via trade in three years – the first former MVP to do so after spending 11 seasons of his NBA career in Oklahoma City. He holds a career of 23.2 points, 8.5 assists, and 7.4 rebounds.
After a few hours, the trade was confirmed, the 32-year-old took to Twitter to share his appreciation for the Wizards franchise.
“Thank you, D.C.! You welcomed my family and me with open arms from day one,” he wrote. “Everyone from the front office to the training staff, the coaches, my teammates, and the fans. I’m grateful you all took a chance on me and supported me every step of the way.”
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