“Extra’s” Jenn Lahmers spoke with NBA star Russell Westbrook, who is raising money to help low-income families during the coronavirus pandemic.
Teaming up with his Why Not? Foundation, Russell said, “The mayor wanted to do this fund, the Angeleno fund, to be able to give the inner-city… families the access to cash, whether it’s food or paying their bills… I thought it was really important to start there.”
Aside from Russell, Oprah Winfrey and Jeff Bezos are also donating millions to help those in need during the outbreak.
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As the NBA season remains at a standstill, one of its star players has found a way to lend a helping hand to those most in need amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Los Angeles native Russell Westbrook joined “Good Morning America” via Skype from his home to discuss how he and his wife Nina have joined forces with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office through their Why Not? Foundation to launch the Angeleno Campaign.
“I’m excited about it. It’s a campaign that’s something that will be from my foundation finding ways to give cash and give access to families and people that’s in need, especially in a time like this,” he explained. “Obviously in times like this, you have to find ways to immediately impact as many people as possible, and I think this is the best way to do it thus far.”
He added that being able to use his platform to give back to his hometown is “a blessing.”
For people who want to help, Westbrook said “text LA Love to 21000. You can donate there, text it there, and it’s very easy and very simple to do.”
“My biggest thing now is to impact and inspire as many people as possible,” he reiterated. “I’m trying to find more ways to give people hope, confidence, a sense of swagger to themselves that they can do and put their mind to do anything they want to do.”
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By Mark Anthony Green
Photography by Sebastian Mader
The biggest surprise of the zaniest NBA offseason ever was the reunion of James Harden and Russell Westbrook—two former teammates who happen to be two of the steeziest brodies on the planet. With a couple of MVPs, almost 200 triple-doubles, and a gazillion wild tunnel outfits between them, the question remains: Can the great Houston Rockets backcourt experiment actually work?
Russell Westbrook and I used to have fashion beef. On the great Fashion Feud Intense-O-Meter, our beef sits somewhere between Yves Saint Laurent versus Tom Ford and Dwayne Johnson versus shirts with sleeves. Which is to say it wasn’t that serious. But here’s what happened: Six or so years ago, when a certain stylist who works with NBA players claimed on Instagram that a client of hers was being copied by other players, I chimed in. The post was ridiculous. (She was taking credit for pink pants, among other things.) But she was a friend, and as one does with friends, I made fun of her. Russell saw my comment and, for whatever reason, thought I was making fun of him. In other words, it was a misunderstanding. After years of back-and-forth through publicists and agents—and several awkward run-ins at Fashion Week events—we buried the hatchet. I asked him about it in December, before James Harden met us at the most generic hotel banquet hall Houston had to offer, and Russ went postgame-interview mode on me. “You’re passionate about something, I’m passionate about something,” Russell said. “And that’s fashion. So if you like it, you’re going to have a strong point of view, just like I’m going to have a strong point of view.”
This indiscriminate intensity explains why Russell Westbrook should be beloved, protected, and celebrated by every true sports fan. (He isn’t. More on that later.) Watching Russ play is like watching a kid who just discovered his superpowers. It’s as if a radioactive spider bit him a few hours ago and he can’t quite control the new muscles fully, but holy shit—did you just see that backflip?! Last summer, in what was the most entertaining shuffling of free agents since Chappelle’s Show‘s Racial Draft, the superhero rejoined forces with arguably the greatest scorer to ever play the game. (As I write this piece, James Harden is averaging almost 40 points a game. And yet, Vegas gave the Rockets only 14-to-1 odds to win the Finals.)
Part of what the doubters were reacting to is that as NBA players become more empowered to choose where they play, more superteams are going to fail. Like the stacked ’18-’19 Warriors, who fell to the Raptors. Another thing that sports outlets and barbershops across America are reacting to is how unorthodox both players are, especially James Harden. A few seasons ago, they debated whether his step-back was a travel or not. Now it’s a move just like any other that players are incorporating into their games. Still, can a team actually win a championship with a point guard as unpredictable as Russ and a shooting guard who averages 700 dribbles a game? As they teeter between third and sixth in the Western Conference, we won’t know the answer until the playoffs.
But Russell Westbrook and James Harden, who’ve been friends since they were children playing AAU ball in Los Angeles, couldn’t be more confident. About everything. At the top of that list are the unabashed fashion choices: madras robes, safety vests, distressed shirts that reveal under-cleavage…and that’s just Russell, who was one of the first players to turn tunnel walks into fashionable moments. James Harden has quickly earned his place as one of the most fearlessly stylish athletes of all time, one snakeskin two-piece at a time. When I asked them if they’ve ever regretted an outfit they’ve worn, they battled over who could say no faster. The sartorial spectacle currently known as the Houston Rockets is almost as fun as watching them play.
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