Russell Westbrook is an American-based professional basketball player. He plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is also a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Further, Russell is a 9-time NBA All-Star and 9-time All-NBA Team member, and for the 2016–17 season, Russell earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). Additionally, in 2015 and 2016, he won back-to-back NBA All-Star Game MVP awards.
In 2017, Russell won the league MVP award, becoming one of two players in the history of the NBA to average a triple-double for a season. Russell also set a record for the most triple-doubles in a season. Further, he went on to average a triple-double the following 2 seasons, leading the league in assists and becoming the 1st player to lead the league in assists and points in multiple seasons. In 2020–21, Russell averaged a triple-double for the fourth time in 5 seasons and passed Robertson for the most career triple-doubles in the history of the NBA.
Russell played his college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, and in the Pac-10, he earned third-team all-conference honors. In the 2008 NBA draft, he was selected with the 4th overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics; they relocated to Oklahoma City that same week. Russell has represented twice for the United States national team and won gold medals in the FIBA World Championship (2010) and the 2012 Olympics.
In 2019, Russell was traded to the Houston Rockets, playing 1 season for the organization before being traded again in 2020 to the Washington Wizards. The following year, he was traded to the Lakers.
Russell Westbrook Early Life:
| Full Real Name | Russell Westbrook III |
| Family Name | Westbrook |
| Profession | Basketball player |
| Date Of Birth | November 12th, 1988 |
| Age | 34 years old |
| Birthday | November 12th |
| Year Of Birth | 1988 |
| Nick Name | Russell |
| Current Residence | Los Angeles |
| Country | USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
Russell was born on 12th November 1988 in Long Beach, California. He grew up in Hawthorne and had a best friend, Khelcey Barrs III; they both planned to go to UCLA and play together. In 2004, Khelcey died due to an enlarged heart during a pick-up game. Russell wears a “KB3” wristband and also has “KB3” on his sneakers in honor of Khelcey.
In 2012, Russell started a foundation named “Russell Westbrook Why Not?” which promotes community-based family service programs and education; these services push youngsters to be self-confident.
Russell Westbrook Family Background:
| Father | Russell Westbrook Jr. |
| Mother | Shannon Horton |
| Brothers | Raynard |
| Sisters | None |
Russell’s parents are Russell Westbrook Jr. and Shannon Horton; in siblings, he has a younger brother named Raynard.
Russell Westbrook Education:
| Highest Qualification | High school degree |
| University | The University of California, Los Angeles |
| College | None |
| High School | Leuzinger High School |
Russell attended Leuzinger High School and later enrolled at UCLA from 2006 – 2008.
Russell Westbrook Physical Stats:
| Weight In Kg | 91 kg |
| Height In Feet | 6 ft 3 in |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
Russell stands 6 ft 3 in tall and weighs around 91 kg. He has dark brown eyes and short black hair. Further, he keeps a slight beard and mustache.
Russell Westbrook Birth Signs:
| Sun Sign | Scorpio |
| Star Sign | Scorpio |
| Birth Sign Duality | Passive |
| Birth Sign Modality | Fixed |
According to Russell’s birthdate, he falls under the zodiac Scorpio. Currently, he is 34 years old. His birth flower is Chrysanthemum, and his ruling planets are Pluto and Mars.
Russell Westbrook Net Worth:
| Net Worth | $165 million |
Russell’s estimated networth is around $200 million. He primarily earns through his basketball career; in addition, he also earns from his deals and endorsements.
Russell Westbrook Relationship Status:
| Spouse Name | Nina Earl |
| Sons | Noah |
| Daughters | Jordyn and Skye |
| No Of Children | 3 |
| Marital Status | married |
Russell has been married to Nina Earl since 2015. The couple has three children: one son and twin daughters named Noah Russell Westbrook, Jordyn Westbrook, and Skye Westbrook.
The couple met for the first time when Nina played on the UCLA women’s basketball team and Russell on the men’s team.
Russell Westbrook Career:
High school:
During Russell’s senior year at Leuzinger High School, he averaged 25.1 points, 3.1 steals, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. That same season, he also recorded 14 double-doubles, scored more than 30 points on 8 separate occasions, and registered a career-high 51 points at Carson on 6th January 2006. Russell initially attracted little attention from top college basketball programs; however, as his height increased, he became a solid college basketball prospect.
College:
Throughout his career at the University of California, Los Angeles, Russell wore the number 0. As a freshman, he finished the 2006–07 season averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He was named All-Pac-10 Third Team and won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. UCLA advanced to the Final 4 during Russell’s seasons with the team. Later, after two years at UCLA, he decided to forgo his final 2 years and enter the 2008 NBA draft.
High school and college achievements:
- 2008 All-Pac-10 Third Team
- 2008 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
- 2008 Pac-10 All-Tournament Team
- 2008 Pac-10 All-Defensive Team
- 2008 CollegeInsider.com All-Defensive Team
- First-team All-CIF Division I
- Third-team All-State
- 2× Most Valuable Player of the Bay League
Professional:
In the 2008 NBA draft, Russell was selected 4th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics, which then relocated to Oklahoma City and six days later became the Thunder. On 5th July 2008, he signed with the team. On 2nd March 2009, Russell recorded his 1st triple-double, scoring 17 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Russell averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. He finished 4th in the 2008–09 NBA Rookie of the Year and was also named to the NBA’s NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Russell averaged 16.1 points, 8.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steal as a full-time starter in his second and first year. On 4th April 2010, he scored 10 points and 16 assists in a 116–108 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the series, Russell stepped up his play from the regular season by averaging 6.0 rebounds, 20.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.2 steals.
Russell finished the 2010-11 season averaging 21.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.9 steals. For the first time, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team. The Thunder finished the season at 55–27; eventually, they lost to the world-champion Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Russell averaged 23.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in the playoffs.
In the 2011–12 season, the coaches again selected Russell to participate in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. On 23rd March 2012, he scored 45 points in a 149–140 double-overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He scored 23.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.7 steal for the lockout-shortened season. In addition, he was also voted to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2nd year in a row. Russell helped the Thunder to the NBA Finals for the 1st time. On 12th June, in Game 1 of the finals, he scored 27 points and 11 assists in a 105–94 victory.
Further, Russell was once again selected for the NBA All-Star Game. He finished the 2012–13 season averaging 23.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
Before the start of the 2013–14 season, he had a 2nd surgery on his right knee; despite reports that he would miss the first 2 weeks of the regular season, Russell missed only the first 2 games. He averaged 26.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists in the postseason and became the 1st player since Oscar Robertson in 1964 to an average minimum of 26 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in the playoffs.
From 2014- 2017, Russell broked numerous records and achieved several titles. In 2017, his contract was set to expire, and the Thunder were determined to keep him, so they did all trade talks to work out an extension. On 4th August 2016, Russell signed a 3-year contract extension with the Thunder worth $85.7 million.
On 29th September 2017, Russell signed a 5-year contract extension with the Thunder for $205 million. The contract started with the 2018–19 season and delivered him the biggest guaranteed contract in NBA history, i.e., 6 seasons and around $233 million through 2022–23. The contract also included a player option for the 2022–23 season.
On 16th July 2019, Russell was traded to the Houston Rockets. The move reunited him with former teammate James Harden. James spent his 1st three seasons in the league (2009–2012) on the Thunder with Russell, and before playing in Houston, they last played together in the 2012 NBA Finals.
On 3rd January 2020, Russell became the 3rd player in the history of the NBA to record 19,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 7,000 assists after a 20-point, 4-assist, and 7-rebound performance.
The 2019–20 NBA season’s suspension began in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, Russell tested positive for COVID-19 and, later that month, joined his team after his recovery. He averaged 17.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game in his 8 playoff games, the worst score of his postseason career.
Russell was traded to the Washington Wizards for John Wall. On 23rd December, Russell made his Wizards debut, recording 21 points, 15 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 113–107 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers. In the history of the NBA, Russell became the 6th player to record a triple-double in a team debut.
On 16th May, in a 115–110 win over the Charlotte Hornets, Russell achieved a triple-double with 23 points, 10 assists, and 15 rebounds and also captured his 3rd NBA assist title, a career-high 11.7 assists per game.
Russell also averaged 22.2 points on 43.9% shooting and 11.5 rebounds; the Wizards finished with a 23–15 record when he recorded a triple-double.
On 6th August 2021, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson; this was the third time Russell was traded and his 4th team in 3 years.
On 15th January 2023, Russell scored 20 points, 11 assists, and 14 rebounds off the bench in a 113–112 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers; it was his 4th career triple-double off the bench. On 20th January, he had 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists as the Lakers. On 30th January, Russell made his 8,967th assist in a 121–104 loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
Career achievements:
- NBA Most Valuable Player (2017)
- 9× NBA All-Star (2011–2013, 2015–2020)
- 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2015, 2016)
- 2× All-NBA First Team (2016, 2017)
- 5× All-NBA Second Team (2011–2013, 2015, 2018)
- 2× All-NBA Third Team (2019, 2020)
- 2× NBA scoring champion (2015, 2017)
- 3× NBA assists leader (2018, 2019, 2021)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
- Third-team All-Pac-10 (2008)
- Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (2008)
- Pac-10 All-Defensive Team (2008)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2009)
National team:
In 2010, Russell was selected for Turkey’s FIBA World Championship team. The team relied heavily on a small lineup, and he finished in the top 5 in minutes per game and top 3 in points and assists per game.
Russell was again selected to play for London’s 2012 Summer Olympic team. He won a 2nd gold medal. Later, he declined an invitation to the 2016 Olympic team.
Endorsements:
In October 2012, Russell signed with the Jordan Brand, and his first commercial was with the Jordan Brand and Champs. Further, in 2017, he signed a 10-year extension with the Brand; the deal gave Russell the largest total endorsement deal of any athlete sponsored by the brand.
In November 2013, Russell signed with Kings and Jaxs Boxer Briefs. That same year, he signed with PepsiCo and became the global face of Mountain Dew Kickstart.
Fashion:
In 2015, Russell became the Marketing Creative Director of True Religion’s denim brand. The following year, he launched the unisex streetwear brand Honor the Gift, which pays tribute to his years in Los Angeles and Hawthorne.
Film:
Russell made his production debut with Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre. The program received 3 Primetime Emmy nominations in 2021. Further, he produced the short film titled Why Not? in collaboration with Jordan Brand and his autobiographical documentary, Passion Play: Russell Westbrook, which debuted in 2021.
Russell Westbrook Social Appearance:
Russell has a huge fan following his social media profiles. On Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, he has around 21M, 6.8M, and 6M, respectively. Russell has a collection of his life memories shared on these profiles.
Summary!
Russell Westbrook is one of the known names in the athletic world. We wish him all the best for his upcoming projects.
