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Russell Westbrook came out in the open to dispel rumors about his Denver Nuggets teammate Christian Braun for supposedly not giving him his signature jersey no. 0.
“I didn’t want, inquire about, or request the number 0 because I chose to mark this new change with a ‘new’ number,” Westbrook posted on his Instagram story revealing he would wear No. 4 with the Nuggets.
On August 26, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports reported that Westbrook inquired about wearing no. 0, his jersey number since his UCLA days.
“There was an inquiry by Westbrook into wearing #0, I’m told, but Christian Braun didn’t budge. [Hunter] Tyson gave Westbrook No. 4 free of charge,” Wind tweeted.
Westbrook was quick to dismiss Wind’s report.
“Let’s please leave our young star alone,” Westbrook said on his Instagram story. “CB (Braun) and I never discussed him passing along the number 0.”
The former MVP quashed any notion of friction between him and Braun.
“The excitement of the new season has already begun, and unfortunately I know that means the offload of many false stories,” Westbrook continued. “Not today! [Braun] and I are locked in and ready to get things rocking in the Mile High City!”
Westbrook joined the Nuggets after working out a buyout with the Utah Jazz following a July 8 trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Nikola Jokic Pushed for Russell Westbrook’s Addition
Westbrook, 35, has been the Nuggets’ target with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic pushing behind the scenes, according to Wind.
“I’ve been told that Nikola Jokic wants to play with Westbrook in Denver. He wants to play with him. It’s not the first time he’s wanted to play with him,” Wind said on the “Wind Chimes” podcast earlier this month.
Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated added that Jokic was not the only Nuggets veteran who wanted Westbrook on the team.
Westbrook’s addition was a major coup for the Nuggets who are close to hitting the restrictive second apron and became worse after losing veterans Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson.
“I think we need some help in the backcourt,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth told Altitude TV on July 16. “We are going to try to continue to identify that and survey the market. We have a roster spot left and I think if we can add a high-level guard, we will be happy with that.”
Russell Westbrook to Continue 6th Man Role With Nuggets
Seven years removed from his MVP season, Westbrook is not expected to start in Denver. The nine-time NBA All-Star point guard will play off the bench as Jamal Murray‘s primary backup. He will also be counted on as a spot-starter if Murray is unavailable, similar to Bruce Brown‘s role during their championship run two seasons ago.
But Westbrook’s primary role is to carry the Nuggets’ offense especially when Jokic sits.
Denver was outscored by 20.1 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs when Jokic was off the court, per Basketball Reference.
Westbrook thrived in a Sixth Man role with the Clippers last season, averaging 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He finished seventh in the Sixth Man of the Year race.
The Clippers were 1.3 points better with Westbrook on the court last season, per Basketball Reference.
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