Russell Westbrook Announces Surprising Olympics Goal After NBA Retirement

The Los Angeles City Council honored former NBA star Russell Westbrook on Friday for all his contributions to the community over the years. Westbrook was presented with a certificate for his efforts, primarily through his “Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation,” at LA City Hall, and he revealed at the ceremony that he wants to be a torchbearer for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I’m putting this out now: I want to be in the presentation of Los Angeles, as it pertains to carrying the torch during the 2028 Olympics,” Westbrook said, via Ben Golliver.

While Westbrook is largely remembered for his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (11 seasons), he was born and raised in Los Angeles. He attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California, and then headed off to UCLA for two seasons.

Westbrook, who retired in August 2026, also spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and a season and a half with the Los Angeles Lakers. That Lakers stint didn’t quite go according to plan, but it didn’t stop him from giving back to the community.

Westbrook established his foundation in 2012, and the aim is “to create pathways of empowerment for underserved communities in the areas of educational opportunities, workforce development and accessible mental health resources.” According to Golliver, the 37-year-old has “challenged” the employees to expand their philanthropic efforts to help achieve his goal.

“To be able to [carry the torch], you have to be able to position yourself to have your hands in so many different areas,” Westbrook said. “For me, I’m working religiously impacting so many people, advancing technology, energy, education, health care, mental health, and wellness. Every aspect, I want to have my hands in to help any way I can.”

Westbrook has gone down as an all-time great basketball player, but he claimed here that his legacy will be based on how much he gives back to the people of Los Angeles.

“While I was playing, [Los Angeles] was my court,” Westbrook said. “Basketball was something I was doing for fun. That was my outlet. Being drafted and being in the NBA was great. But … being able to have more time, since my retirement, to give back more and be more present, that’s more important.”

According to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the torch relay will travel through all 50 states. It will begin in Atlanta, which hosted the 1996 Olympics. Here’s hoping Westbrook, who won an Olympic gold in 2012 with Team USA, gets his opportunity in 2028. A year later, in 2029, he’ll be eligible for the Hall of Fame, and you better believe he’ll get in on the first ballot.

Westbrook averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game over his 18 seasons in the NBA. He was named MVP in 2017 and also won two scoring titles and three assists titles. Westbrook notably averaged a triple-double in four separate seasons and is the all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209. It was a remarkable career, and he should be extremely proud of it.