When one says that they look up to someone, they can mean it literally if they’re talking about a basketball player. Russell Westbrook is one of such people. His name is not as popular as Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James, but he is a man on a mission on the court. And he has undoubtedly etched his name as one of the greats in recent years.
Russell started his basketball career at Leuzinger High School, Lawndale, California. He was just 5 feet 8 inches tall at the time – considered short for a basketball player – and weighed a mere 140 pounds. So it comes as no surprise to know that he didn’t get his chance until his junior year. By his senior year, when he had grown to his adult height of 6 feet 3 inches, he led his team to a 25-4 record. In the process, he garnered a personal record average of 25.1 points, 2.3 assists, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 steals. Breaking down these stats revealed eight separate games where he hit 30 points or more, 14 double-doubles, and a personal record-shattering 51-points in January of 2006.
He went on to play for the UCLA Bruins in his college days where he was used largely as a backup for Darren Collison and an energy player off the bench. By his second season, Darren was out injured and he seized the opportunity to show his abilities. Westbrook ended the season with a record average of 12.7 points, 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He won the All-Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year and was named in the All-Pac 10 Third team. He famously wore the number 0 jersey throughout his time with the Bruins.
Russell Westbrook, who was selected as the 4th overall was picked by the Seattle SuperSonics on July 5th in the 2008 NBA draft, after he had foregone his remaining two years at UCLA. The Supersonics moved base to Oklahoma and changed their name to Oklahoma City Thunders six days after the draft. Besides his team accolades, Russell continued to make a name for himself. He achieved a triple-double, his first ever on March 2nd, 2009. Russell was the fourth-best NBA Rookie of the Year and also made it into the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He continued with a career-high 16 assists in April of 2010, with his team more than doubling their victories from the season before.
Since then Russell Westbrook has gone on to become a legend in his own right. He is a five-time member of the NBA All-Star Team since 2011 and has been named MVP on two occasions. Rusell is definitely one of the most athletic point guards in the history of the NBA.
Russell Westbrook Wife, Son, Brother, Girlfriend, Gay, Height
Russell was born on the 12th of November, 1988 to Russell Jr. and Shannon Westbrook. He has a single sibling – a brother named Raynard. Not much is known about Russell’s younger brother, but they are inseparable. He also lost his best friend, Khelcey Barrs III, who died from an enlarged heart during a pick-up game in 2004. Russell wears a bangle and snickers with the symbol ‘KB3’ etched on them in honor of his friend.
Russell Westbrook is also married to the love of his life in Nina Westbrook, 1989 (formerly Earl). They met in college and have been together ever since. They went to the altar on 29 August 2015. Nina understands and supports Russell’s career as she is not a stranger to it herself. She also played basketball professionally in school and has her own achievements to show for it.
They welcomed their first child, Noah Russell Westbrook into the world on 16 May 2017. Russell has so far kept a clean record as far as the media rumor mills are concerned. The stories of extra-marital affairs and homosexual relations that have plagued his colleagues have somehow missed him. Apart from rumors about his trade, Russell is “press-clean”.
Russell Westbrook Networth, Height
Russell Westbrook has only played for the Oklahoma City Thunders throughout his NBA career. This is a rarity in the NBA and stands to speak about his excellent contribution to the team. In April of 2016, the Thunders extended Russell’s contract with a three-year, $85.7 million deal. On September 29th, 2017, the 6ft 3 inches (1.91m), two-time MVP signed what is currently the biggest guaranteed contract in the history of the NBA. This five-year deal is worth $205 million and starts in the 2018-2019 season.
Russell made Forbes 2017 list of Top 100 World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, coming in at an enviable 13th position. Russell Westbrook is presently worth about $50 million with an average yearly salary of $28.5 million. However, we can expect his net worth to rise dramatically whit his new deal.
