Russell Westbrook has a new jersey number, and apparently it’s not the one he originally wanted.
Westbrook signed a two-year contract worth $6.77 million Westbrook played with the Denver Nuggets this offseason and was hoping to wear the number he had used for most of his NBA career. Unfortunately for him, that jersey was confiscated and he didn’t get a chance to use it.
Harrison Wind Turbine DNVR Sports reports Westbrook approached Christian Braun to take his No. 0 jersey, but the third-year point guard declined. Westbrook then got second-year forward Hunter Tyson to agree to switch from No. 4 to No. 5. Tyson did not charge Westbrook for the switch.
Westbrook has worn No. 0 for all but one season of his career. He wore it with the Oklahoma City Thunder from his rookie year in 2008–09 through the 2018–19 season. He then wore it with the Houston Rockets during the 2019–20 campaign, before switching to No. 4 in 2020–21 when he spent a year with the Washington Wizards. He returned to No. 0 with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2021–23 and continued with that number when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers to finish the 2022–23 season and through the 2023–24 campaign. The nine-time All-Star also wore No. 0 during his time at UCLA.
It will be strange to see Westbrook in a jersey other than his No. 0, but it’s hard not to applaud Braun for standing up for his right to keep his jersey.
