Russell Westbrook was born on November 12, 1988, in Long Beach, California. He is a professional basketball player who currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook played college basketball at UCLA, where he was named the 2008-2009 Pacific-10 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics (now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder) in 2008 and has been with the team ever since. In 2017, Westbrook was named MVP of the NBA All-Star Game and is considered a frontrunner for this year’s MVP award.
Russell Westbrook III is a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). He is a nine-time NBA All-Star and the 2016–17 NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). He was a part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Also, He has also been named to the NBA All-Star Team nine times, led the league in scoring in 2014–15 and 2016–17, and won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award back-to-back in 2015 and 2016.
Early Life And Family Background Of Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook was born in Long Island, New York in 1988. From a young age, he was drawn to the game of basketball, and by the time he reached high school, he had already begun to make a name for himself on the court. Despite his passion for the game, Russell’s early life was marked by several setbacks and setbacks. His parents divorced when he was still a child, and Russell fell behind in school as a result of his constant focus on basketball.
Luckily, Russell’s talent did not go unnoticed. He was recruited by UCLA to play collegiate basketball there and went on to have an incredibly successful college career. And over the course of his career so far, Russell has established himself as a highly-skilled player with boundless energy and passion for the game. Today, despite all his success on the court, Russell remains dedicated to furthering his personal growth as both a player and a person. And it is this dedication that has helped to make him one of the top players in basketball today.
High School Career Of Russell Westbrook
Westbrook started out as a point guard at Leuzinger High School, standing at 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall and weighing only 140 pounds (64 kg), while having huge (size 14) feet. He didn’t join his high school’s varsity squad until his junior year, and his first college recruiting letter didn’t arrive until the summer before his senior year.
That same summer, Westbrook reached his mature height of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m). Westbrook averaged 25.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals, and 2.3 assists as a senior, helping the Thunder to a 25–4 record. During that same season, he had 14 double-doubles, eight 30-point games, and a career-high 51 points on eight occasions.
College Career Of Russell Westbrook
Throughout his time at the University of California, Los Angeles, Westbrook wore the number 0 jersey. He was a backup to Darren Collison as a freshman in 2006–07, mostly serving as a defender and energy player off the bench. Westbrook had a season average of 3.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. He put in a lot of work throughout the offseason, both in the weight room and in the gym, where he fought NBA veterans who came to Los Angeles.
Collison was injured the next season, and Westbrook was designated the starter. He averaged 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this season. He was chosen to the All-Pac-10 Third Team and was voted Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year at the end of the season.
Professional Career Of Russell Westbrook
Oklahoma City Thunder (2008–2019)
The Seattle SuperSonics picked Westbrook fourth overall in the 2008 NBA draft, and the Thunder relocated to Oklahoma City six days later to become the Thunder. On July 5, 2008, he joined with the club. Westbrook’s first career triple-double came on March 2, 2009, when he had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Rookie And First Playoffs (2008–10)
Westbrook had a season average of 15.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. He placed fourth in the 2008–09 NBA Rookie of the Year voting, behind winner Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, O. J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Brook Lopez of the Los Angeles Lakers (New Jersey Nets). He earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Westbrook averaged 16.1 points, 8.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in his second season, which was also his first as a full-time starter. In a 116–108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 4, 2010, he had 10 points and a career-high 16 assists.
First All-Star And NBA Finals (2010–12)
Westbrook was once again picked by the coaches to play in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game during the 2011–12 season. He set a career-best with 45 points in a 149–140 double-overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 23, 2012.
For the second year in a row, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team after averaging 23.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals during the lockout-shortened season. Westbrook led the Thunder to the NBA Finals for the first time since their relocation, but they fell to the Miami Heat in five games. Westbrook had 27 points and 11 assists in Game 1 of the Finals on June 12th, a 105–94 triumph.
He joined Michael Jordan as the only player in NBA Finals history to score 25 points and dish out 10 assists in their first appearance. [requires citation] Westbrook set a postseason career-high with 43 points in a Game 4 defeat.
MVP And First Triple-Double Season (2016–17)
Russell Westbrook is known for his incredible athleticism and dynamic playing style. This was evident in the 2016-2017 season, during which he achieved a phenomenal feat: not only did he win the MVP award, but he also recorded the first triple-double season since 1962.
Throughout his career, Russell has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with on the court. Constantly pushing boundaries and breaking records, Russell embodies what it means to be an MVP player. And with his relentless double-doubles and unparalleled energy, it’s easy to understand why Russell’s triple-double season – one of the most remarkable performances in NBA history – earned him so much acclaim.
Houston Rockets (2019–2020)
Westbrook was dealt with the Houston Rockets on July 16, 2019. In exchange for All-Star Chris Paul, two protected first-round selections, and two second-round pick swaps. Westbrook was reunited with former teammate James Harden. And the two indicated a mutual desire in playing together at this point in their careers. Harden spent his first three seasons in the league (2009–2012) with the Thunder. And they last played together in the 2012 NBA Finals before moving to Houston.
Westbrook returned to Oklahoma City for the first time as a visitor on January 9, 2020, scoring 34 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists on 14-of-26 shooting in a 113–92 defeat. With his triple-double against Oklahoma City on January 20, he became only the second player in NBA history to record triple-doubles against all 30 teams, joining LeBron James.
Washington Wizards (2020–2021)
Westbrook was dealt with the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a lottery-protected first-round draft selection in 2023 on December 2, 2020. After speculations that he and Harden were dissatisfied with the Rockets and wanted out. Westbrook debuted for the Wizards on December 23. Scoring 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists in a 113–107 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers. He joined Elfrid Payton and Lewis Lloyd as the sixth player in NBA history to post a triple-double in a team debut.
Following a 118–100 loss to the Celtics for the No. 7 seed in the play-in round, Westbrook and Bradley Beal led the Wizards to a 142–115 thrashing of the Pacers to capture the last playoff spot and the team’s first appearance in the postseason since 2018. It was Westbrook’s sixth consecutive postseason appearance. Despite averaging a triple-double of 19.0 points, 11.8 assists, and 10.5 rebounds per game. The Wizards were eliminated in the first round by the top-seeded 76ers in five games.
Los Angeles Lakers (2021–present)
Westbrook was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on August 6, 2021. For the third time in three years and to his fourth team. In the transaction, the Wizards got Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Aaron Holiday, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Isaiah Todd’s draft rights. In a 121–114 defeat to the Golden State Warriors on October 19. Westbrook made his Lakers debut, scoring eight points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, adding five rebounds.
Westbrook joined LeBron James, Jason Kidd, and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with at least 7,000 career rebounds on October 27. When he put up 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 123–115 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The coach had kept him in the starting lineup all season despite pressure to bring him off the bench.
National Team Career Of Russell Westbrook
He was chosen for the FIBA World Championship squad in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2010. Westbrook was a standout on a squad that didn’t include a single player from the 2008 Olympic gold-medal team. Westbrook finished in the top five on the squad in minutes per game, as well as the top three in points and assists per game. The 2010 team, depended largely on a small roster.
Team USA won the World Championship for the first time since 1994, going 9–0. Team USA was automatically qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London. And they surpassed Argentina to take the top spot in the world rankings.
Russell Westbrook | Relationship Status
Nina Earl is the wife of the point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. The pair from Westbrook met in college and have been together ever since. As a result, they are sweethearts from college. Earl also happens to be a basketball player. She was a member of the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team as a forward.
She did not, however, pursue a professional basketball career. So, She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. In addition, the former forward holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Earl is a marital and family therapist with a license to practice.
After the NBA player proposed with a beautiful $700,000 ring, the two were engaged. On August 29, 2015, they married at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
In addition, the couple has three children together. On May 16, 2017, they welcomed their first and only child, Noah Russell Westbrook. The college sweethearts were also rewarded with lovely twin daughters. Skye and Jordyn Westbrook, who was born in September 2020, are their names.
Russell Westbrook | Net Worth And Salary
The NBA player has a colossal fortune. Basketball has provided him with most of his riches.
HE HAS A VALUE OF OVER $170 MILLION DOLLARS. WESTBROOK WILL EARN A TOTAL OF $56.5 MILLION THIS YEAR FROM HIS DEALS AND ENDORSEMENTS.
He is now the NBA’s fourth highest-paid player. The father of three is also one of the highest-paid sportsmen in the world, ranking 12th. He is ranked fourth on a list that includes LeBron James and Stephen Curry as the top two players. Westbrook is a close second to Kevin Durant and a close third to James Harden. Aside from that, he gets $18 million from sponsorships alone.
In addition, he is well-known for signing the franchise’s largest deal, for $205 million. He is sponsored by a number of well-known brands and businesses. He’s also inked a $150 million to $200 million contract with Jordan Brand, which is the highest in the company’s history.
Social Media Presence
Instagram – russwest44 16M Followers
Twitter – @russwest44 6.5M Followers