Meet Russell Westbrook, a fierce basketball player who stands out from the crowd. Born on November 12, 1988, the 35-year-old star has made his name as a professional basketball player, winning awards including 8× NBA All-Star (2011–2018) and 2× NBA scoring champion (2015 & 2017). Playing as a point guard, Russell made his NBA debut in 2008 and quickly became a star member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Throughout his impressive career, Russell has played for six NBA teams. Discover more about Russell Westbrook as this article examines his incredible journey from childhood to one of the greatest players in basketball history. We will also discuss his net worth, early life, career, rise to fame, personal life, and more.
Facts About Russell Westbrook
- In 2015, Russell was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.
- He has played for Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-2019), Houston Rockets (2019-2020), Washington Wizards (2020-2021), Los Angeles (2021-2023), and Los Angeles Clippers (2023-present).
- In the 2016-207 season, Russell made a record for the most triple-doubles with 42 triple-doubles.
- In April 2017, Russell was fined $15,000 for using profanity in a post-game media interview.
- In August 2015, Russell married his college sweetheart, Nina Earl.
Net Worth and Salary
Russell Westbrook, the dynamic NBA point guard known for his explosive playing style, has not only made his mark on the basketball court but has also accumulated tremendous wealth. Russell has a net worth of $300 million as of this writing. In terms of salary and endorsement, he sits among the highest-paid athletes in the world.
As of November 2024, Russell’s base salary is $44 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. After making his NBA debut, he earned $250 million in salary alone in his first decade in the league. Accoridng to Forbes, Russel is the 14th-highest-paid athlete in the world, having made an estimated $82.1 million over the last 12 months. He also earns millions more every year from endorsements.
Contracts (The largest in NBA History)
In September 2017, Russel Westbrook signed both the largest contract in Jordan Brand and NBA history. These were a 10-year contract worth around $150-200 million and a 5-year contract extension worth $205 million. In 2019, he was traded to Houston, which absorbed the contract, and Russel was paid $41 million yearly. The following year, he was traded to the Washington Wizards and again traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021. Russell’s largest contract in history stood still until it was broken in December 2020 with Giannis Antetokounmpo signing a five-year $228.2 million deal. Between June 2018 and June 2019, Russell earned $53 million from salary and endorsements.
Early Life and Education
Russell Westbrook III was born to Russell Westbrook Jr. and Shannon Horton on November 12, 1988, in Long Beach, California, United States. Accoridng to his birthday, he was born under the Scorpio astrological sign. He has a younger brother named Raynard. Brought up in Hawthorne, Russell had a best friend, Khelcey Barrs III, who hoped to go to UCLA and play together. Unfortunately, Barrs suffered from an enlarged heart and died during a scrimmage in 2004 while the two were schooling at Leuzinger High School. At Leuzinger, Russell started on the basketball team and averaged 25.1 points per game as a senior. At the age of 16, he began receiving college scholarship offers. He later chose UCLA, which was his dream to play there.
Quick Wikipedia
| Quick Biography | Answers |
| Birthday | November 12, 1988 |
| Full Name | Russell Westbrook III |
| Hometown | Long Beach, California, United States |
| Lives In | Oklahoma, United States |
| Net Worth | $300 million |
| Horoscope/Birth Sign | Scorpio |
| Age | 35 years old |
| Stage Name | Russell Westbrook |
| Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
| Father’s Name | Shannon Horton |
| Mother’s Name | hannon Horton |
| Number of Children | 3 |
| Children’s Name | Noah, Skye and Jordyn |
| Husband/Boyfriend | N/A |
| Wife/Girlfriend | Nina Earl (m. 2015) |
| Birth Year | 1988 |
| TikTok | Russell Westbrook |
| Facebook Handle | Russell Westbrook |
| YouTube Handle | N/A |
| Twitter/X Handle | @russwest44 |
| Instagram Handle | @russwest44 |
| Snapchat Handle | russwest44 |
| Height | 6 feet 3 inches (1.91m) |
| Body Measurements | 42-31– inches |
| Feet/Shoe Size | 15 (US) |
| Color of Eye | Light Brown |
| Movies Starred | N/A |
| References | Wikipedia, Celebrity Net Worth & IMBD |
Career
College Career
At UCLA, Russell wore No. 0 throughout his career and never forgot to wear a “KB3” wristband in loving memory of his best friend. In the 2006-2007 season, he was a backup to Darren Collison and was primarily played as a defender and energy player off the bench. As a freshman, he averaged 3.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. Following Collison’s injury, Russell was named the starter and played for the rest of the season, finishing with 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals. During the end of the season, Russell was voted All-Pac-10 Third Team and won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. In 2008, Russell dropped out of UCLA and entered the NBA draft.
NBA Career
During the 2008 NBA draft, Russell Westbrook was drafted fourth overall by the Seattle SuperSonics and became the Thunder six days later after moving to Oklahoma City. On July 5, 2008, Russel signed with the Thunder. His first season saw him average 15.3 points per game, and he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. During his second year, Russell became a full-time starter and led the Thunder to qualify for the season’s playoff. On November 26, 2010, Russell netted 43 points, a career-high of his at the time. He was named the All-NBA Second Team the following year and would experience two honours again in 2012. In 2012, he set a record of becoming the first player to score 25+ points and 10+ assists (since Michael Jordan) in his first final with the Thunder. The same year, he won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics.
2013 saw Russell make the playoffs with the Thunders and were the Western Conference No. 1 seed. During the second playoff game, he suffered a knee injury but scored 29 points. However, he was declared injured the following day and underwent surgery on April 27, 2013. During the 2013-2014 season, he had a second surgery and missed the first two games. At the beginning of the 2014–15 season, Russell broke the second metacarpal in his right hand and had to miss 14 games. He returned in 2015 in a match against the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring a career-high 48 points and broke it a month later when he scored 49 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
After netting 41 points in the NBA All-Star game, Russell was named the All-Star MVP. Russell and Kevin Durant were named Western Conference co-Players of the Month and year in January 2016. Again, he was named MVP after playing in the All-Star Game for the first time. In March 2017, after scoring 58 points against the Portland Trail Blazers, he broke his career-high again and received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. In September of the same year, he extended his contract with the Thunders, and he had another knee injury, missing the preseason and the first two games of the 2018 season. In July 2019, Russell was traded to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul.
On August 6, 2021, Russell Westbrook was traded for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Isaiah Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers. During his first season, he was poorly criticised. On February 23, the following year, he signed for the Los Angeles Clippers, where he reunited with his former Thunder teammate Paul George. He landed his debut the following day in a 176–175 loss to the Sacramento Kings, putting up 17 points and 14 assists. Russel was a starter at the Clippers. On July 26, 2024, Russell Westbrook signed with the Denver Nuggets.
National Team
In 2010, Russell Westbrook was picked for the FIBA World Championship team in Istanbul, Turkey and was considered a star on the team. With the team heavily depending on him, Russell finished in the top three in points and assists per game and top five on the team in minutes per game. He led the team to its first World Championship since 1994 and qualified for London’s 2012 Olympics. On the world ranking, they overtook Argentina and were ranked first. Russell won his second Olympic gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2016, he declined his invitation to join the national team for the Olympic games.
Other Ventures
Beyond the boundaries of the NBA, Russell Westbrooke has his own clothing line, Honor the Gift, which he launched in 2018. The clothing line offers a range of apparel inspired by his style and experiences. Additionally, he has ventured into media production, partnering with platforms like YouTube and producing content that showcases his interests beyond basketball.
Endorsements
In October 2012, Russell signed an endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand. Five years later, he extended the deal to 10 years, giving him the largest total endorsement deal of any athlete sponsored by the brand. Annually, Russell is estimated to earn $60 million from endorsements. He also endorses PepsiCo, Samsung Electronics, Kings and Jaxs Boxer Briefs, Six Star Pro Nutrition, and True Religion Apparel.
Awards and Recognitions
Russell Westbrook has received numerous awards since his NBA career started. In 2008, he was named All-Pac-10 Third Team, Pac-10 All-Defensive Team, Pac-10 All-Tournament Team, CollegeInsider.com All-Defensive Team, and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. 2017 saw him named the NBA Most Valuable Player, 8x NBA All-Star and 2x NBA All-Star Game MVP. Among his other recognitions are the NBA All-Rookie First Team (2009), the All-NBA First Team (2016 & 2017), the NBA assists leader (2018 & 2019), and the NBA scoring champion (2015 & 2017).
Personal Life
Russell Westbrook is married to Nina Earl, his college sweetheart. Nina is also a UCLA basketball player. They exchanged their marriage vows on August 29, 2015, and welcomed their first child, a son, Noah, on May 16, 2017. They later welcomed twin daughters, Skye and Jordyn, on November 17, 2018. In honour of his late best friend, Khelcey, Russell wears a “KB3” wristband and handwriting “KB3” on his sneakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is Russell Westbrook married?
Ans: Russell Westbrook has been married to Nina Earl since August 29, 2015.
Q. What is Russell Westbrook’s net worth?
Ans: As of this writing, Russell is worth $300 million.
Q. How many rings does Russell Westbrook have?
Ans: Currently, Russell has not won any championships in his career.
Q. Who is Russell Westbrook’s late best friend?
Ans: Russell had a best friend, Khelcey Barrs III, who died of heart enlargement when they were in high school. To honour him, Russell wears a “KB3” wristband and handwriting “KB3” on his sneakers.
