LA City Council honors Russell Westbrook for career and philanthropy

Retired NBA star Russell Westbrook was officially honored by the Los Angeles City Council at City Hall on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, receiving a certificate from Councilwoman Heather Hutt for his basketball career and extensive philanthropic efforts in his hometown. Westbrook, a Los Angeles native who announced his retirement on Aug. 12, after 18 NBA seasons, was joined by his mother and family members for the ceremony.

The tribute recognized both Westbrook’s athletic achievements and his work through the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, which he established in 2012 to support underserved communities. Hutt emphasized Westbrook’s deep ties to the area during the presentation, telling the chamber that the athlete is Los Angeles through and through. Hutt added that local families do not talk about stats when discussing Westbrook, but rather point to projects like the reading room he built at 75th Street Elementary School, the campus he attended as a child.

Westbrook Retires as All-Time Leader in Triple-Doubles

Westbrook wrapped up an 18-year professional career that featured nine All-Star selections, the 2016-17 NBA Most Valuable Player award, and two scoring titles. He retires as the NBA’s all-time leader in regular-season triple-doubles with 209, surpassing the previous record of 181 held by Oscar Robertson. Westbrook also made history as the first player since Robertson to average a triple-double over an entire season, a feat he accomplished in 2016-17 and repeated three more times.

The guard’s basketball journey began locally at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale before he played two seasons at UCLA, helping the Bruins reach consecutive Final Four appearances in 2007 and 2008. Drafted fourth overall in 2008 by the Seattle SuperSonics—who relocated to Oklahoma City before his rookie season—Westbrook spent his first 11 years with the Thunder franchise. He subsequently played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and finished his career with the Sacramento Kings during the 2025-26 season, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds across 64 games.

Philanthropy Through the Why Not Foundation

Beyond the court, Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation focuses on educational opportunities, workforce development, and accessible mental health resources for youth in Southern California. Councilwoman Hutt's district encompasses areas including Arlington Heights, Koreatown, Mid-City, and West Adams, showing that city-level recognitions affect the entire region. In 2015, Westbrook returned to 75th Street Elementary to launch a literacy initiative and open a dedicated reading room.

His philanthropic reach also extends to his alma mater. In 2015, Westbrook made a donation to UCLA to support the construction of the Mo Ostin Basketball Center, where the men’s practice court bears his name. Accepting the City Hall certificate, Westbrook credited his parents for instilling those values.

The ability to give back started when I was really young. … I was always seeing my mom, my dad give, give, give, give, give so much, and as a young child, I didn’t really understand how or why … because we didn’t have much growing up.

Russell Westbrook

Reflections on Retirement and Platform

Reflecting on his transition away from competitive basketball, Westbrook shared his perspective on athletes using their influence beyond sports.

When I’m done playing, I always told myself legacy is something that, it’s not what you do on the court, it’s what you do with the platform.

Russell Westbrook

That sentiment echoed statements he posted online when announcing his retirement in August, when he wrote that a player sometimes does not realize when they have already watched the end, adding that people had to be there and now it is over.