Russell Westbrook Makes Announcement Before Kings Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Brett Gendoes | Last updated Jan 23, 2025 6:39 PM ET

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook has put together a strong season in his 17th NBA campaign. Entering Thursday, Westbrook has appeared in all 43 games (22 starts) for Denver, and is posting averages of 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists.

Before joining Denver, Westbrook spent the last three seasons playing in his hometown of Los Angeles, California. Appearing in 130 games for the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz in February, 2023 before agreeing to a buyout and joining the LA Clippers.

While he is no longer playing for a Los Angeles team, Westbrook remains active in the community, especially amid the devastating wildfires.

Ahead of Thursday's matchup with the Sacramento Kings, Westbrook made a big announcement via his Why Not? Foundation. According to the veteran point guard, his foundation has already delivered 600 bags of supplies to children at evacuation sites, distributed over 5,000 items to displaced families and provided grants to different organizations.

"Los Angeles is at our core," Westbrook's foundation wrote on Instagram. "Please find our coordinated efforts and resources for helping the community we service and where we call home. Link in bio."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Why Not? Foundation (@whynotfoundation)

Westbrook also provided a statement via his foundation in the Instagram post's opening slide.

"The Why Not Foundation was established with a deep love for Los Angeles at its core, driving all we do and who we serve," the statement read. "Since January 7, we've been heartbroken by the devastation caused by the wildfires in communities across Los Angeles. But in our grief, we are moved to action. We are launching coordinated efforts to provide vital resources and support the relief efforts throughout Los Angeles county."

Westbrook won the NBA Community Assist Award in 2015 while with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and has only expanded his off-the-court work since then.

The 2017 league MVP also received a nomination for the NBA Social Justice Champion award last season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: