Russell Westbrook is often portrayed as one of the NBA’s fiercest competitors, but many players who have shared a locker room with him tell a very different story.
Across several teams, teammates have repeatedly described the veteran guard as one of the most supportive and generous figures in the league.
Those who know him best say the perception around Westbrook rarely matches the reality inside the locker room.
Russell Westbrook’s reputation among teammates explained
Steph Noh of The Sporting News highlighted Westbrook’s relationships with teammates and detailed several stories about the guard’s generosity and personality behind the scenes.
One example came from Clint Capela, who spent only part of a season alongside Westbrook but still described him as the most genuine superstar he had ever played with.
Capela explained that Westbrook was constantly smiling and joking around with teammates, something that surprised him given the guard’s intense on-court persona.
During one moment, Capela mentioned that he admired an expensive bracelet Westbrook was wearing. Westbrook immediately took the bracelet off his wrist and handed it to him as a gift.
Other former teammates have shared similar experiences, saying the former MVP often goes out of his way to make younger or struggling players feel supported.
Former teammates share stories of Russell Westbrook’s generosity
Alex Abrines once described how Westbrook helped him during a difficult stretch of his career when he was dealing with loneliness while playing in Oklahoma City.
Abrines said Westbrook took him out for dinner when he was thinking about leaving basketball, an act he remembered as a moment of genuine kindness from a teammate.
Jerami Grant, who also played alongside Westbrook with the Thunder, echoed that sentiment by saying the guard always tried to understand teammates as people rather than just players.
Veteran center DeAndre Jordan, who has known Westbrook for two decades, also praised his character and even helped recruit him to the Nuggets last season.
Jordan recalled Westbrook mentoring younger players and paying for dinners or clothes for teammates who looked up to him.
Despite his generosity toward others, Westbrook is also known for being extremely disciplined with his own finances, with former teammates recalling how he would even balance his own checkbook during breakfast.
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